New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually inaugurated the Sonik Integrated Logistics Hub and flagged off two new Door-to-Door Freight and Parcel Services, marking a major step in Indian Railways’ logistics transformation.
Vaishnaw said door-to-door services are crucial for reducing logistics costs and enhancing efficiency, as industries can now send smaller consignments without filling an entire rake. The initiative bridges the gap between factories and railway loading points, with Indian Railways providing comprehensive end-to-end logistics.
He added that Sonik is the first integrated logistics hub to offer such services. Under the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals initiative, 115 terminals have been developed to promote multimodal transport.
Located strategically between Lucknow and Kanpur, the Sonik Hub will cater to the growing logistics needs of both regions. Managed by Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), it will handle commodities such as fertilisers, food grains, cement and tractors, offering warehousing, first- and last-mile connectivity and inventory management.
Two new logistics services were also launched. The Assured Transit Container Train Service (Delhi–Kolkata) guarantees delivery within 120 hours, operating bi-weekly with flexible booking options through the CONCOR e-Logistics app. The Door-to-Door Parcel Service (Mumbai–Kolkata) integrates rail and road delivery, reducing logistics costs by 7.5 per cent and transit time by 30 per cent, already serving clients such as Castrol, VIP Industries, Godrej and Nestlé.
Railway Board Chairman and CEO Satish Kumar stated that this initiative marks a paradigm shift, transforming Indian Railways from a goods carrier into a comprehensive logistics service provider.
Indian Railways, the world’s second-largest freight carrier, currently transports 1.6 billion tonnes of goods annually, aligning with the Viksit Bharat vision of building a modern, efficient and sustainable logistics ecosystem.
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