Gateway Distriparks (GDL) has signed a 15-year agreement to be the exclusive container train operator for the 120-acre Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Ankleshwar, Gujarat, developed by Sawariya Group of Industries. 

Located near Surat, the MMLP is designed to handle domestic and EXIM containers, bulk cargo, and other multimodal services. It will have an annual capacity of 200,000 TEUs and 850,000 sq ft of warehousing, with phased expansion based on demand. The facility, connected to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, can handle double-stack trains and will serve industrial hubs including Surat, Panoli GIDC, Ankleshwar GIDC, Bharuch, Jhagadia GIDC, Dahej, and Hazira. Terminal operations will be managed by Sawariya, while GDL will focus on rail services. 

Domestic operations have commenced, with GDL holding exclusivity for regions where it operates Inland Container Depots, including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ludhiana, Uttarakhand, and Ahmedabad, along with first right of refusal for new markets. The EXIM-focused ICD is under construction and is expected to start operations in the next financial year. 

“This partnership with Sawariya strengthens our presence in Western India and enhances our ability to serve customers through an integrated hub-and-spoke network. The asset-light model enables us to scale quickly without capital investment in the terminal, focusing on rail operations while leveraging our network advantage. We will continue to develop our own ICDs in the north-west corridor while exploring more strategic partnerships,” said Mr Prem Kishan Dass Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, GDL.