Uttar Pradesh : The Moradabad railway division on March 25, 2026 launched its first container-based train service for transporting sugar, in a move aimed at increasing freight movement through rail, Bhaskar reported.
The initiative was introduced under the direction of Divisional Railway Manager Vinita Srivastava, with a focus on promoting rail as a preferred mode for bulk cargo, particularly sugar.
Earlier this month, on March 12, Srivastava along with Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Freight) Richa Sharma held a virtual meeting with traders from the sugar industry. The discussions focused on exploring sugar loading opportunities for the 2026-27 financial year and addressing challenges faced by traders.
During the meeting, officials encouraged shifting from conventional BCN wagons to container-based transport to improve efficiency.
Following these discussions, Avadh Sugar and Energy Limited (Syohaara unit), Triveni Engineering and Industries Limited and Prakash Bhalotia and Brothers jointly dispatched sugar through a container train from Moradabad to Shalimar in Kolkata for the first time.
The service successfully transported around 2,160 tonnes of sugar using 80 domestic containers.
The operation was supported by Container Corporation of India Limited from ICD Moradabad, which also provided first-mile and last-mile connectivity to ensure smooth cargo movement.
Railway officials said the new service is expected to strengthen the use of railways for sugar transport while supporting cleaner logistics. It will also help utilise containers currently available for domestic use due to disruptions in global shipping linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.