Rajasthan to gain from third route of freight corridor

Jaipur, Mar 23 (UNI) Railway minister Lalu Prasad said here today that the third route of the dedicated freight corridor would pass through 600 km of Rajasthan.

While flagging off the Indian subcontinent's only and first double-stack container train from Kanakpura station near here today, he said Rajasthan has loads of potential in piecemeal traffic. The state's handicrafts, stones and toys can now be easily exported through the double stack container.

The 6.5 meter high double stack container carriage left for Gujarat's Pipabao port and will take approximately 35 hours to reach its destination.It contains goods for the European markets. This route passes through Phulera, Ajmer, Abu Road and Palanpur in Gujarat.

Saying the beginning of the container service is an historic occasion, Mr Prasad said now apart from CONCOR, the railways's only container corporation, 14 new private operators have been shortlisted to carry on the container service.

With the opening of rail bound container traffic to operators other than CONCOR, the railways share of the container traffic is likely to increase significantly.

It is important to note that container traffic has witnessed an annual growth rate of 17-18 per cent from 2001 to 2005.

Union minister for Mines Sis Ram Ola, Environment minister Namo Narain Meena, Lok Sabha MP from Jaipur Girdhari Lal Bhargava, former BJP unit president Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi and many other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. North-western railway General Manager S B Bhattacharya was also present on the occasion.

UNI RRT SY BST1938