TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Konkan railway’s unique innovative Roll-on Roll-off, which had in the past enriched its coffers with the transportation of goods trucks, will complete 16 years on Republic Day.
The Roll-on Roll-off service has earned Konkan Railway Rs 53.31 cr in 2014-15 up to December as compared to Rs 47.4 cr in the corresponding period in the previous year. More than 40,000 trucks have been carried through Roll-on Roll-off in 2014-15 up to December.
KRC Senior Manager, Public Relations, Baban Ghatge said the KR has come up with the innovative Roll-on Roll-off service in 1999 whereby loaded goods trucks are carried piggy back on railway flat wagons. “This service is unique only to Konkan railway. The popularity of the service can be seen from the fact that about four lakh goods trucks have been carried by this service so far in 16 years”, he said.
Ghatge said the introduction of Roll-on Roll-off services has been a win-win situation for railways, road transporters as well as the Nation. Roll-on Roll-off is an innovative means of establishing a synergistic relationship between the railways and the roadways instead of being competitors. “The service has helped the railways to get back the piecemeal traffic which had got diverted to the road sector. It has benefited the truck owners as well as the railways, while saving precious diesel for the country. It saves wear and tear of tyres, reduces maintenance cost of trucks, enables faster turn-round of trucks, faster delivery of goods, gives higher profits, less pollution, and better road safety. Also decongests the National Highway and gives a hassle-free ride to the truck drivers”, he added.
The Roll-on Roll-off has two services – one between Kolad (145 km from Mumbai) and Verna (a distance of 417 km), and second between Kolad and Surathkal (a distance of 721 km). Delivery is within 12 hrs for Kolad-Verna, within 22 hrs for Kolad-Surathkal, which by road would take at least about 24 hrs and 40 hrs, respectively.
