OREANDA-NEWS. December 8, 2011. To facilitate rapid development of a network of freight terminals with private investment to provide efficient and cost effective logistics services with warehousing solution to end users, a new scheme namely Private Freight Terminal (PFT) has been launched on May 31, 2010. PFT can be ‘green field’ facilities developed by private parties on private land or brown field facilities i.e. existing private sidings/container terminals on private land which can be permitted to be converted to private freight terminals under the provisions of the Scheme. The scheme will facilitate traffic handling at the terminals by private investors thereby increasing Indian Railways’ market share. A total of 18 proposals have been received so far under the scheme, out of which 7 proposals for Bamanhari, Nabha (Northern Railway), Rudrapur (North Eastern Railway), Wardha, Tadali, Kalamboli and Somathane (Central Railway) have been given ‘In Principle’ approval by the zonal railways and one Private Freight Terminal at Timmapur (South Central Railway) has been notified.

In order to increase Rail share in the commodities like fertilizers, molasses, edible oil, caustic soda, chemicals, petrochemicals, alumina, bulk cement and fly ash etc., where rail coefficient is traditionally very low, a scheme namely Special Freight Train Operator Scheme (SFTO) has been launched, to attract private investment in special purpose wagons required for transportation of these commodities. The policy has been issued on May 31, 2010. Under this policy a proposal for 3 rakes (tank wagons) for transportation of Caustic Soda and 3 rakes for transportation of Alumina has been approved by the Ministry of Railways.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri K. H. Muniyappa in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.