Government considers survey to gauge business logistics costs

06 May 2024 CW Team

The government is likely to launch a novel survey aimed at obtaining comprehensive and timely assessments of the expenses businesses incur for logistics.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) reportedly intends to commission the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) to carry out a primary survey, evaluating patterns of cargo movement and the associated logistics costs for each aspect involved.

In the previous year, the think tank had approximated India's logistics costs for 2021-22 at 7.8-8.9% of the GDP, relying on secondary data. An unnamed official expressed intentions to conduct a new assessment with NCAER, merging feedback and original surveys, as the previous estimation was solely based on secondary data.

The official mentioned that discussions are underway for a memorandum of understanding between the department and the council for this purpose. The collection of detailed data concerning origin-destination pairs, commodities, and geographical locations is deemed crucial for precise estimations. Additionally, efforts are being made to elevate India's ranking in the World Bank Logistics Performance Index from 38 in 2023 to below 25.

The government's objective is to devise a methodology to fulfill dual goals of timely and reliable measurements of logistic costs, along with strategies to alleviate such expenses by eliminating obstacles.

The survey aims to illuminate the logistics cost per tonne per kilometre on various considered routes and disparities in logistics costs across routes, transportation modes, products, cargo types, and service operations.

Discussions are underway regarding origin-destination route surveys of selected products to gather data on relevant transportation and storage costs, administrative hurdles at customs, warehouses, freight and forwarding agencies, and ports, as disclosed by informed sources.

Infrastructure Transport

05 Feb 2026

MMRDA Installs 325-Tonne Steel Spans on Mumbai Metro Line 4

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has achieved a key construction milestone on Metro Line 4 with the successful installation of three large steel spans at Bhandup West during overnight operations.The spans, together weighing 325 metric tonnes, were launched using eight heavy-duty cranes and 12 multi-axle vehicles. The operation required precise engineering and meticulous planning to minimise disruption in the densely populated suburban area.Due to effective inter-agency coordination, the work—originally scheduled across four nights—was completed within just two n..

CMRL Targets March 2027 Opening for Vadapalani–Panagal Park

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is progressing as scheduled to open the Vadapalani–Panagal Park section of Phase II’s Corridor 4 by March 2027. The 3.5 km underground stretch is part of the 26.1 km Corridor 4 connecting Lighthouse with Poonamallee Bypass.Construction activities are advancing steadily, with tunnelling works between Vadapalani and Panagal Park already completed. Track-laying operations are expected to commence shortly. At Panagal Park station, structural works have reached the concourse and platform levels, while excavation continues at the lowest level.CMRL is also consid..

Maha-Metro Invites Pune Metro Civil Maintenance Bids

Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) has invited bids for the annual civil maintenance contract of the Pune Metro Rail Project. The tender, bearing ID and number P1-O&M-20/2025, is scheduled to close on 23 February 2026, with a pre-bid meeting slated for 10 February 2026. The earnest money deposit (EMD) for the contract is Rs 3,50,500, and the duration of the contract is one year.The scope of work includes annual civil maintenance of 28 elevated and underground stations, 28.079 km of elevated viaduct including steel bridges, 12.15 km of tunnels, and two depots under the ..