The Zonal Railways have been directed by the Railway Board to set-up Business Development Units (BDUs) at Zonal and Divisional levels with focus on bringing the Railways closer to Industry and Trade in respective regions.
Responding to Railway Board direction the Southern and South Central Railway Zones have set-up BDUs to strengthen ties with trade and industry besides an increase in freight traffic. The move would also give an opportunity to increase the share of railways in transportation of non-bulk goods, among others, a press release said.
A BDU would comprise a chief freight transportation manager and three members who would initiate steps to attract new streams of traffic by interacting with industry and also explore the possibility of attracting additional freight traffic, the release said.
Southern Railway serves six ports and several cement plants apart from major thermal power stations, steel plants and industries.
SCR has approved setting up of a multi-disciplinary BDUs at zonal level, comprising senior administrative grade officers from all major relevant fields.
“The BDU will also serve as a nodal point for speedy operationalisation of any new traffic proposal. Similar BDUs are also being formed in all the six divisions of SCR (at the divisional levels) with senior operating managers acting as the coordinators of divisional BDUs,” said SCR general manager Gajanan Mallya. He also suggested the committee members to assist freight customers to avail the policy/transportation benefits from the railways in order to capture new traffic.
The railways has introduced a slew of policy initiatives to attract rail freight traffic and it was committed to work with the industry in formulating policies that can be more tailored to suit specific industry needs, the release said.