WASHINGTON: Krishnapatnam Port Monday said it has launched a direct bi-weekly rail connectivity service between ICD Bengaluru and the port in association with state- owned Container Corporation (CONCOR). It will run a shuttle service to Maersk Salalah catering to the demand from business houses in and around Bangalore, Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd (KPCL) said in a statement.
“The initiative has been strategically put in place to enable shippers and consignees in and around Bengaluru to avail a safer, reliable and time-efficient alternative to road movement,” it said. The service has scheduled an export from ICD (inland container depot) Bengaluru on every Tuesday and Friday and an import departure from Krishnapatnam on every Wednesday and Saturday.
The newly launched service will reduce the transportation time to 48 hours for both import and export transits post discharge of the vessel and will benefit heavy cargoes which otherwise face regulatory issues due to the weight restrictions via road transport. The connectivity has carried a total of 106 TEU and 117 TEU of exports and imports respectively to and from Bengaluru.
It said apart from time efficiency, the move is expected to help the customers to save on each container and also eliminate the chances of pilferage which has been a major issue in case of road transits. Anil Yendluri, CEO – KPCL said, “Our new rail service has been strategically allocated to not just cater to the intense demand but also address the needs of our customers with efficient facilities which will enable them to leverage our association for the better.” The port with a transit storage area of 6800 acres has the country’s largest waterfront area of 161 sq km, and a depth of 20.5 metres.
