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Railways Reduces Bulk Cement Freight Charges
24th October 2025
The Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology has unveiled the rationalization of rates for bulk cement in containers and policy for bulk cement terminals. The policy is part of Railways Reforms for Cement Transportation
As per the new policy, distance and weight slabs have been removed. The new rate has been rationalized to ₹0.90 per tonne per kilometre at flat Gross Tonne KM
The policy promotes the use of tank containers to support efficient multimodal, end-to-end logistics for bulk cement
The Tank Container is an effective end-to-end logistics solution for bulk cement transportation. It is designed with standard dimensions of 20 ft × 8 ft × 8.5 ft, offering a payload capacity of 26 tonnes and a gross weight of 31 tonnes. Each container allows efficient operations with a loading and unloading time of just 25–30 minutes
Its design makes it ideal for seamless multimodal transportation—moving easily from train to trailer and back to train—enabling smooth delivery from the point of production to the point of consumption
The transportation of bulk cement from manufacturing plants to terminals near consumption centers using specialized wagons is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. To further support this shift toward efficient logistics, Indian Railways will facilitate the development of bulk cement terminals across the country under the “Bulk Cement Terminal” policy, enabling smoother handling, storage, and distribution of cement
The bulk cement terminals will be constructed, operated, and maintained with direct connectivity to the railway network to ensure seamless logistics. These terminals will be equipped with essential facilities such as hoppers, silos, bagging plants, and other related infrastructure to support efficient handling, storage, and distribution of bulk cement
The policy offers several key benefits, including a substantial reduction in cement transportation costs and a significantly smaller carbon footprint compared to road transport, thereby supporting environmental sustainability and reducing road congestion. It enables the movement of large volumes of cement in a single consignment and minimizes packaging requirements while reducing material losses from spillage. Additionally, the policy ensures faster turnaround times through mechanized loading and unloading, enhancing overall efficiency in cement logistics