K'taka: South Western Railway sets up Business Development Unit to boost freight traffic

Mysuru (Karnataka) [India], July 10 : In a push to increase focus on the freight business, the Mysuru division of the South Western Railways (SWR) has set up a Business Development Unit (BDU).
Headed by Senior Divisional Operations Manager V Satish, the unit will act as a nodal point of interaction with existing customers and will reach out to new customers for achieving the target of doubling the freight carried by the Indian Railways, a press release stated.
The Railways is also looking at creating an enabling environment to make a shift of freight traffic from the road to the rail sector. The chief freight transportation manager will be in charge of the Hubballi headquarters.
The unit will also have officers from commercial, mechanical and accounts departments as its members.
According to the convenor of the BDU meeting held earlier in the week, the movement of items from the core sectors such as coal, cement, fertilisers and foodgrains has been the key drivers for the growth in June. The division is making all efforts to make up for the decline in the first quarter by fast-tracking indents and expediting placement of rake for loading.
It is also taking measures to improve facilities in goods sheds. Last year, the Mysuru division had surpassed the target and achieved an all-time high loading.
The Railways has said that every effort would be made to remove even minor irritants and create a conducive environment at all loading points. Customers have been asked to put forward their grievances for redressal and a new committee will resolve all policy issues raised by the divisions in a week's time, the release stated.