"Maruti Suzuki's Gujarat Plant Introduces First Automobile In-Plant Railway Siding, Aiming to Cut 50,000 Truck Trips"

Maruti Suzuki, India's leading automobile manufacturer, has inaugurated the country's first automobile in-plant railway siding at its Hansalpur unit in Gujarat. This innovative facility is set to revolutionize transportation methods, aiming to transport three lakh finished car dispatches annually by train, thereby eliminating approximately 50,000 truck-trips per year.

Constructed at a cost of ₹105 crore, the in-plant railway siding is connected to the Katosan-Becharaji-Ranauj route, which has been converted to Broad Gauge at a cost of ₹976 crore by Bahucharaji Rail Corporation Ltd. This joint venture involves Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), G-Ride, and the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). The project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Gujarat.

Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer of Corporate Affairs at MSIL, highlighted the environmental benefits of the initiative, stating, "Logistics can be a good way of reducing carbon. By eliminating 50,000 truck trips per annum, we will be saving 35 million litres of fossil fuel and reducing carbon emissions by 1650 metric tonnes."

The cars manufactured at the Hansalpur facility will be transported to 15 different cities across India through the railway network. Additionally, a portion of the cars produced will be exported via the rail network to Mundra and Pipavav ports. Bharti emphasized Maruti's significant contribution to India's automotive exports, noting that the company exports 42 percent of all cars produced in the country.

Bharti further elaborated on Maruti Suzuki's robust logistics network, stating, "Our penetration of car dispatch is highest among all car manufacturers in the country. Till now we have dispatched about 18 lakh cars by railways and this year till February, we have transported 4.09 lakh cars."

Maruti Suzuki is also in the process of establishing a similar railway siding at its plant in Haryana. Bharti explained the potential benefits, stating, "Going forward, we will be able to save about 20 percent time in dispatches while using trains," adding that transporting by rail is marginally cheaper than using roadways.

HBL