The Hindu Business Line : Container train operators sceptical of Rlys' premium service

The Indian Railways has offered container train operators an assured transit time (ATT) service for a premium of 10 per cent over the normal rates. In case the Railways is not able to meet the promised time, it will not charge the 10 per cent premium.

The reduction in time taken in the ATT service against the existing service varies. For the JN Port (Mumbai)-Tughlakabad Depot (Delhi) stretch, the ATT service offers about 8-10 per cent reduction in time (36-39 hours over the current 42-45 hours). For the JNPT-Loni Depot stretch, the reduction is 28-30 per cent (42-43 hours against 60-odd hours now).

The ATT offer is on offer on select stretches - between JN Port and depots in the Northern hinterland at Tughlakabad, Loni, Asaoti, Dandarikalan and Shanewal. As of now, the Railways does not have a time-table for freight customers. Passenger trains are given priority over freighters on the railway network.

Container train operators, while welcoming the Railways move, are sceptical. "The exact implementation modalities are not specified.

Moreover, typically, when a monopoly (the Railways, in this case) starts offering a premium service, the quality of the existing service tends to deteriorate," said an official of a container train operator.

Another container train industry official said the Railways should extend a discount over the haulage charge if it fails to stick to the ATT.

"Many years ago (before 2002), the Railways had a guaranteed transit time service for Concor, which was the only container train operator then. For using that service, Concor had to pay a premium of two per cent.

The Railways extended a two per cent discount in haulage charges in case it did not meet the assured transit time," the official told Business Line.

But Railway Ministry sources claim that Concor had also provided an assured demand at that time.

The need to have an assured transit time from the Railways has been a long-standing demand of the container train operators, right from 2006 when the Railways opened the sector to players other than Concor.