**Policy Summary: Freight Terminal Policy Compliance**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Railways' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4477, concerning the violation of freight terminal policies, specifically the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) policy and Private Freight Terminal (PFT) schemes. As of August 20, 2025, the Ministry reports the following:
* **Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals (GCTs):** Since the introduction of the GCT policy in 2021, 22 proposals have been approved, encompassing 251 GCTs. 115 of these GCTs have been commissioned.
* **Private Freight Terminals (PFTs):** There are 81 operational PFTs commissioned prior to the GCT policy.
* **Violations/Misuse:** The Ministry states that no instances of violations or misuse of either GCT or PFT policies have been identified.
* **Revenue Impact:** As no violations have been detected, there is no reported revenue loss.
* **Compliance Measures:** The Ministry emphasizes that each GCT is governed by a transparent agreement mechanism that clearly defines the rights and obligations of all involved parties. This framework prioritizes compliance and revenue protection for Indian Railways (IR).
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for the railways.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal: A policy by the Indian Government to sanction freight terminals to private partners.
Private Freight Terminal: A freight terminal owned and operated by a private entity on the Indian Railways network.
Dr. Amar Singh: Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question about freight terminal policy violations.
Ashwini Vaishnaw: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India.
Gati Shakti MultiModal Cargo Terminal: A policy by the Indian Government to develop multi-modal cargo terminals.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4477
TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025
VIOLATION OF FREIGHT TERMINAL POLICY
4477. DR. AMAR SINGH :
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has sanctioned freight terminals to
private partners under any policy such as Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal
(GCT) and Private Freight Terminal (PFT) to others and if so, the total
number of such terminals sanctioned till date;
(b) whether there have been instances of violations or misuse of such
freight terminal policies by private partners and if so, the details
thereof;
(c) the details of the number of cases identified, nature of violations
and the action taken by the Government in each case;
(d) the details of the estimated revenue loss caused due to such
violations, if any; and
(e) the details of the steps taken by the Government to ensure better
compliance and protect railway revenue in future?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e) : Following the introduction of the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal
Cargo Terminal (GCT) policy in 2021, Indian Railways has approved
…2/--2-
proposals for 251 GCTs. Of these, 115 GCTs have already been
commissioned so far. Additionally, there exist 81 operational Private
Freight Terminals (PFTs) on Indian Railways, which were
commissioned prior to the rollout of the GCT policy.
GCTs have helped railways increase revenue. GCTs bring more cargo
to railways. This helps the economy by reducing logistics cost.
Moreover, more cargo by railways means less emission.
No instances of violations or misuse of freight terminal policies have
been noted so far. Every GCT is governed by a transparent and
carefully structured agreement mechanism, which clearly outlines the
rights and obligations of involved parties. This comprehensive
measure contributes to the integrity and effectiveness of the GCT
policy, ensuring that both compliance and revenue protection remain a
priority for IR.
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