Indian Railways has recorded a 170 per cent rise in cement movement in the last four months after reforms introduced in November last year. The reforms introduced innovative bulk cement tank containers and a bulk cement terminal policy to support multimodal handling and a shift from road to more efficient rail logistics. The measures aim to increase rail-based movement of bulk cement and encourage cleaner and more efficient supply chains.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed container sector reforms and their implementation and said the new system has made loading and unloading easier while reducing material loss. He explained that cement manufactured at one place can now move directly to consumption centres in specialised tank containers, reducing multiple handling processes and improving plant-to-market efficiency. He added that dust generation during loading and unloading has been significantly reduced, improving environmental performance at terminals.

The shift towards bulk movement through customised containers is lowering fuel consumption, reducing emissions and promoting cleaner logistics while also easing congestion on roads. The Minister urged officials to tap the vast potential in the fly ash transportation market and convert the waste generated by thermal power plants into national wealth. He noted that nearly 300 million (mn) metric tonnes (t) of fly ash are produced in the country, but only about 13 mn t is currently transported by Railways.

He asked officials to significantly increase Railways' share and facilitate movement of fly ash to brick kilns, cement industries and construction sites across the country. The announcement framed fly ash as a major waste to wealth opportunity and as a valuable resource for road construction, cement manufacturing and brick production. Officials were encouraged to scale terminal capacity and logistics to capture the market and to integrate bulk handling across supply chains.