India’s Largest Auto Cargo Terminal Opens at Manesar

23 Jun 2025 CW Team

The facility connects to Patli railway station via a 10-kilometre dedicated rail line, forming part of the 121.7-kilometre Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor being developed by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC). The link was built at a cost of Rs 8 billion, with HRIDC contributing Rs 6.84 billion and Maruti Suzuki funding the remainder.

With a loading capacity of 450,000 vehicles annually, the Manesar terminal boasts one of the highest capacities among automobile cargo terminals in India. The project is aligned with the government’s PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which seeks to integrate and modernise the country’s logistics and infrastructure systems.

Speaking at the event, Vaishnaw highlighted broader initiatives by Indian Railways to improve both freight and passenger services. He announced the expansion of Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains, with over 100 sets to be upgraded from 8–12 coaches to 16–20 coaches to serve short-distance commuters more effectively. A new factory in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh, will support MEMU train production.

Vaishnaw also shared updates on the Namo Bharat train initiative, with 50 new trains planned to meet increasing passenger demand. For 2023–24, Indian Railways transported around 7.2 billion passengers and moved 1.617 billion tonnes of freight, achieving the world’s second-highest freight volume.

In terms of ticketing reforms, from 1 July 2025, only Aadhaar-authenticated and KYC-verified users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute window. A pilot project in the Bikaner Division now allows reservation charts to be prepared 24 hours ahead of train departures, instead of the usual four hours.

The minister also mentioned the rollout of Amrit Bharat trains, with three currently operational and six more launching soon. Production for an additional 50 trains is underway. Meanwhile, the Railway Coach Factory in Sonipat is being modernised and will soon be inaugurated to increase production capacity.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday inaugurated India’s largest Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal for automobiles at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s Manesar facility in Haryana. The new terminal is expected to significantly improve rail-based logistics efficiency for the automotive sector.The facility connects to Patli railway station via a 10-kilometre dedicated rail line, forming part of the 121.7-kilometre Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor being developed by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC). The link was built at a cost of Rs 8 billion, with HRIDC contributing Rs 6.84 billion and Maruti Suzuki funding the remainder.With a loading capacity of 450,000 vehicles annually, the Manesar terminal boasts one of the highest capacities among automobile cargo terminals in India. The project is aligned with the government’s PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which seeks to integrate and modernise the country’s logistics and infrastructure systems.Speaking at the event, Vaishnaw highlighted broader initiatives by Indian Railways to improve both freight and passenger services. He announced the expansion of Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains, with over 100 sets to be upgraded from 8–12 coaches to 16–20 coaches to serve short-distance commuters more effectively. A new factory in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh, will support MEMU train production.Vaishnaw also shared updates on the Namo Bharat train initiative, with 50 new trains planned to meet increasing passenger demand. For 2023–24, Indian Railways transported around 7.2 billion passengers and moved 1.617 billion tonnes of freight, achieving the world’s second-highest freight volume.In terms of ticketing reforms, from 1 July 2025, only Aadhaar-authenticated and KYC-verified users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute window. A pilot project in the Bikaner Division now allows reservation charts to be prepared 24 hours ahead of train departures, instead of the usual four hours.The minister also mentioned the rollout of Amrit Bharat trains, with three currently operational and six more launching soon. Production for an additional 50 trains is underway. Meanwhile, the Railway Coach Factory in Sonipat is being modernised and will soon be inaugurated to increase production capacity.

Infrastructure Urban

05 May 2026

Meghalaya And Assam Hold Talks To End Transport Stoppages In Garo Hills

Meghalaya and Assam have opened talks aimed at ending recent stoppages of commodity transport in the Garo Hills, officials said. The deputy chief minister, in charge of home affairs, reported that both state governments are coordinating to resolve disruptions and to restore normal movement of goods. He acknowledged that misunderstandings may have contributed to the incidents and that clarification between administrative units is under way. The discussions are intended to produce practical arrangements that will allow consignments to move without hindrance while respecting local procedures. The..

Infrastructure Transport

05 May 2026

Kochi Metro Records 1.375 mn Rise In Passengers In FY26

Kochi Metro recorded a marginal rise in ridership in the financial year 2025-26, carrying 1.375 mn more passengers than in the previous year. The service carried 36.8 million (mn) passengers in 2025-26 compared with 35.5 mn in 2024-25, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.9 per cent. The growth was described as distributed rather than concentrated in isolated spikes. A month-wise analysis shows steady gains across quarters. In the first quarter, ridership increased from 8.57 mn to 8.84 mn, while the second quarter rose from 9.13 mn to 9.51 mn. These trends indicated broad-based improvemen..

Infrastructure Transport

05 May 2026

Ghaziabad Plans 16km Metro Link To Delhi Via Hindon Airport

Ghaziabad authorities are pursuing a 16 km metro link to Delhi that will run via Hindon Airport, and a detailed project report is under way. The plan is intended to improve connectivity between Ghaziabad and the national capital and to provide an interchange with the airport. Officials said the project is being studied to assess alignments, station locations and cost estimates ahead of formal approvals and tendering. The announcement follows the inauguration of the Delhi?Faridabad metro extension, which will offer hassle free travel for around 0.2 mn daily commuters between the national capita..