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2012 April 12   10:03

Arshiya Rail to start first PCT operations from Cochin Port

Arshiya Rail Infrastructure Ltd (ARIL), a subsidiary of Arshiya International Ltd an integrated supply chain and logistics infrastructure Solutions Company, has become the first Private Container Train Operator (PCTO) in India to commence Domestic Container Train operations from Cochin Port, Daily Shipping Times reported.

Arshiya Rail received the requisite permission from Cochin Port Trust and Port Customs to use the siding within the port. Arshiya Rail will be utilizing this port for Domestic movements from North & West India and back. Initially ARIL has started operations by dedicating one rake, which will be scaled by additional deployment to cater to the growth in business volume. With operations from Cochin Port, Arshiya Rail will further strengthen its already strong presence in the Southern region for its Domestic services.

 
With a Category I license Arshiya Rail is India's second largest Private Container Train Operator (PCTO) with presently 20 freight trains in service across pan India. As part of its unique integrated operating model, Arshiya Rail Infrastructure operates with customized containers and a strategic Pan-India Rail Terminal network integrated to its other logistics infrastructure of Free Trade & Warehousing Zones, Domestic Distriparks and its planned Rail Terminal in Khurja, UP which will become one of the largest private rail terminals in the country.
 
Commenting on the occasion, Mr Paul Anthony (IAS) Chairman - Cochin Port Trust said "We believe that a port will only be as efficient as the last-mile connectivity to and from the port. In our endeavor to provide best-in-class efficiency and services to the customers of Cochin Port, we thought it important to ensure we provide good Rail connectivity and could not think of a better partner than Arshiya Rail Infrastructure, with its vision and investment into the logistics space and Rail in particular and its integrated approach to logistics"  
 
Commenting on the occasion Mr. Ajay S Mittal  Group Chairman & Managing Director of Arshiya International Ltd said “Arshiya Rail since starting operations in 2009 has been one of the fastest growing operators due to our focus on providing dedicated rakes and customised services for leveraging rail as the most efficient medium of surface transportation servicing the domestic movement segment.
 
However now with Arshiya's Free Trade & Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) in Mumbai driving a lot of traffic and our FTWZ in Khurja operational, our mission would be to strengthen our Domestic and EXIM sectors for which we believe that the tie up's with the ports would be essential. Cochin Port is going to become one of the premier ports in the country servicing the manufacturing sector and while we are working on setting up our FTWZs and Domestic Distriparks integrated with the rail terminals on a pan India basis, our association with Cochin Port is bound to bring efficiencies for cargo destined to or bound from South India”
 
Currently, Rail market share for movement of cargo Pan-India is only 30%
 
In addition to its rail operations pan India, Arshiya International will be expanding its logistics infrastructure footprint with five FTWZs across India's strategic locations. Its zone in the West (Mumbai - Panvel) spanning across 165 acres and Khurja in the State of UP Near Delhi  315 acres are already operational. It will be followed by the zone Center (Nagpur  110 acres), South (Chennai) and East of India. Complementing each FTWZ will be Domestic Distribution hubs 'Distriparks', connected by Rail Terminals and freight train network. Arshiya Rail Infrastructure in addition to its 20 operational trains, plans to induct a total of 150 trains in the coming years.

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