📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Raybellrich
Business
Railways and I&C Ministry discuss cutting logistics costs, boosting J&K connectivity
✍️ Daily Excelsior
🗓 02 Nov 2026, 12:37 AM
👁 22
The Ministry of Industries and Commerce and Indian Railways are jointly reviewing measures to reduce freight expenses and improve transport links in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
New Delhi officials from the Ministry of Industries and Commerce (I&C) and senior railway representatives met to examine ways to lower logistics costs in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The discussions focused on streamlining freight tariffs, enhancing last‑mile connectivity and upgrading existing rail infrastructure to support regional trade.
Sources indicated that the two departments are evaluating proposals such as dedicated freight corridors, modernized loading‑unloading facilities, and incentive schemes for businesses that shift cargo to rail. Improving rail links is seen as crucial for boosting tourism, agriculture and industrial output in the mountainous region.
The initiative aligns with the central government's broader push to integrate remote areas into national supply chains and reduce dependence on road transport, which is often costlier and less reliable during harsh weather. A detailed action plan is expected to be drafted in the coming weeks.
Stakeholders, including local traders and logistics firms, have welcomed the move, citing potential savings and faster movement of goods. The railway ministry has not disclosed a timeline for any infrastructure projects, pending feasibility studies.
If implemented, the measures could lower freight rates by several percent and provide a more resilient transport network for Jammu and Kashmir's economy.
Sources indicated that the two departments are evaluating proposals such as dedicated freight corridors, modernized loading‑unloading facilities, and incentive schemes for businesses that shift cargo to rail. Improving rail links is seen as crucial for boosting tourism, agriculture and industrial output in the mountainous region.
The initiative aligns with the central government's broader push to integrate remote areas into national supply chains and reduce dependence on road transport, which is often costlier and less reliable during harsh weather. A detailed action plan is expected to be drafted in the coming weeks.
Stakeholders, including local traders and logistics firms, have welcomed the move, citing potential savings and faster movement of goods. The railway ministry has not disclosed a timeline for any infrastructure projects, pending feasibility studies.
If implemented, the measures could lower freight rates by several percent and provide a more resilient transport network for Jammu and Kashmir's economy.