New line in Andhra comes as boon for India Inc, saves up to Rs 7L per rake in freight movement

By cutting down travel time between Krishnapatnam Port and the hinterland here by five hours, a 112-km line has come as a boon for India Inc which is now saving up to Rs 7 lakh per rake towards freight transport.

Touted to be a game-changer, the Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam-Krishnapatnam Port line, commissioned on June 25, also reduces the travel distance by 72 km for trains coming from Guntakal division to the port.

After this new line coming into operation, the freight rate per rake for different commodities has gone down significantly, Alok Tiwari, the divisional railway manager (DRM) of Guntakal division, said.

"For coal, it varies from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh; for fertilizers, it is between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh; for iron ore, it is about Rs 6 lakh and for limestone also it is Rs 5.25 lakh," he said