Eastern Railway has urged the industry of this region to utilise huge untapped freight capacity which is lying idle with the railway.
In a meeting with industry representatives on April 4, 2003, Sunil Sengupta, general manager of ER said 10 million tonnes of freight traffic capacity was not being used at present.
He cautioned that industry should make good use of it as there was possibility that the capacity being moved away from this region to other sector where demand exist.
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He said ER was ready attractive schemes to win back traffic on rail. He also urged the wagon industry to come forward and design customised wagons and help the railway in the development and design of wagons which can take higher axle load, move at greater speed. He also urged to develop double decker freight stock.
Sengupta informed ER would be hosting an international seminar in May 2003 on wagon industry.
In the meeting, the general manager also pointed out the role being played by Concor and Kolkata Port Trust in rail freight traffic. He said there are 36 full rake siding available in the four division of Sealdah, Asansol, Howrah and Malda in ER which can be used by the industry. Many of them are being under utilised.
Facilities of two point rakes, mini rakes rail side warehousing multimodal transport, station to station rates, online freight information are also available.