Parliament Question: Role of Rail-based Coal Transportation

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3076 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026 ROLE OF RAIL-BASED COAL TRANSPORTATION †3076. MRS RUCHI VIRA: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has assessed the role of rail-based coal transportation in supporting small-scale industrial clusters, such as the brass handicraft units located in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh; (b) if so, the details of the logistics planning, scheduling coordination and freight handling measures adopted by the Government to meet the industrial fuel requirements in the said district; and (c) the details of the infrastructure/service-level improvement measures proposed by the Government to enhance the reliability of raw material transportation for traditional manufacturing hubs? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (c) Coal is supplied by coal companies to industrial consumers and authorized coal distributors in the state as per demand and availability. The Government, through coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Coal and Indian Railways, undertakes various measures to improve the availability of coal supply from coal fields. These include improved production planning, diversification of coal sale channels including Single Window Mode Agnostic (SWMA) e-auction and linkage mechanisms, and close §coordination with various stakeholders for efficient evacuation and transportation of coal from mines to consuming regions. Indian Railways supports this process by ensuring adequate rake availability, efficient freight operations and connectivity between coalfields and consumption centres. These measures help ensure steady availability and timely movement of coal to various industrial consumers, including small-scale and traditional manufacturing clusters spread across the country. Indian Railways fully recognises the vital role that rail-based coal transportation plays in sustaining industrial clusters, including small-scale industries across the country . In order to serve the needs of various consumers in the Moradabad area, inward coal rakes are being handled at Rampur, Garhmukteshwar and Roza stations. The nearest railhead to Moradabad, Rampur (27 km), has handled 45 inward coal rakes during the current financial year up to February 2026. In addition, the goodsheds at Garhmukteshwar and Roza, located in the vicinity of the region, have handled 123 and 15 inward coal rakes respectively during the current financial year up to February 2026. In order to augment handling capacity and improve last-mile connectivity, Indian Railways has introduced the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) policy. This facilitates development of private cargo terminals with mechanised loading/unloading systems, thereby reducing congestion and improving operational efficiency. Under the Gati ShaktiCargo Terminal (GCT) policy, 125 GCTs have been operationalised across the country, including 2 in and around Moradabad district. Recently, a new GCT at Dalpatpur Station, just 12 km from Moradabad, has been commissioned in February 2025. *****