Indian Railways, which is continuously working towards changing the pandemic into an opportunity by expanding it freight network as well as revenue, has developed an exclusive portal for its freight clients linking them to not just railway officials, but providing them a medium to lodge complaints and raise concerns.
Indian Railways in these unprecedented times have made the headlines by taking several initiatives with respect to its freight division. From amendment of freight policy to doubling speed of freight trains to the introduction of Kisan rails and special parcel trains, the railways have been acing its game.
In a recent development, the Indian railways informed of loading 102.12 million tonnes of freight in the month of September, which is 13.59 million tonnes higher compare to last year’s freight loading for the same month. Also, it informed of making more revenue from the freight trains. In the same month the Railways earned INR 9896.86 crores from freight loading which is also INR 1180.57 crores higher compare to last year’s earnings for the same period.
Now as the Indian Railways further eyes to expand its freight business and make it more agile & efficient, it has developed a Freight Business Development (FBD) Portal as per the directions of the Railway Board and the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) team.
A step towards digitalisation of freight services
The new FBD is said to be especially designed and developed with a ‘Customer First’ philosophy. The Portal helps in familiarising new freight customers with Indian Railways Freight Business and presents a bouquet of information on IR Freight Business organised in simple and easy access links.
As per the Railway Ministry the new portal also provides enhanced features for existing customers including GIS based track and trace and provision to contact Railways with their concerns.
Further, it provides a channel to the potential freight customers to reach railway officials and seek their assistance in transporting their goods by railways.
It shall also help Divisional and Zonal Business Development units to reach potential customers with the help of real-time monitoring of queries raised by such customers through the New Freight Business Development Portal.
The portal has varied features which further will help cater the customers and revamp the freight business of Indian Railways. It has been developed with features including information Rich Freight Calculator, GIS based tracking of consignments, terminal dashboard, Details on Freight incentive schemes, Own-a-terminal and Own-a-Wagon scheme and process details, along with rich FAQs updated regularly, to name a few.
The FBD portal can be reached through Freight Business option available under the new ‘Freight Services’ feature added in the top menu bar of indianrailways.gov.in.
The FBD portal can also be accessed directly at: https://fois.indianrail.gov.in/RailSAHAY
The Rail Madad Grievance redressal portal of Indian Railways has also been integrated with the new FBD portal for directing queries of the prospective and existing customers to Freight Business Units of the Divisions.
