Five months after flagging off the first textile parcel special train with customized new modified goods or NMG wagons, Mumbai Center division of Western Railways on Wednesday loaded the 100th textile train from Chalthan in Surat to Sankrail in Kharagpur Division of South Eastern Railways.
Terming the loading of the 100th textile train in a span of five months ‘a milestone’, a Railways Ministry note here stated that “it reflects growing confidence of the Surat textile sector on railways.”
The train dedicated to the textile sector covers major destinations such as Shankrail, Shalimar under South Eastern Railway and Danapur and Narayanpur under East Central Railway.
A total of 67 NMG rakes were loaded from Chalthan and 33 rakes from Udhna. The Textile Express train has so far earned the Indian Railways total revenue of Rs 10.2 crore, according to the Railways Ministry here.
The first textile express train was flagged off by Minister of State for Railways and Textiles Darshana Jardosh from Udhna on 1 September 2021. The special textile train then comprised 25 NMG wagons. It was flagged off from Udhna New Goods shed with textile material to Patna and Muzaffarpur.
According to the Railways ministry the textile train will particularly benefit the textile market of Surat. It is economical, faster and safer and will help tap the huge potential of the textile market. The train will also meet transportation requirements of the textile industry besides go-down hubs in and around the city of Surat, in Gujarat, a ministry official said.