Rail cargo movement at Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal in Kochi is showing signs of revival after years of underuse, with at least two rakes operating every month since May and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd starting outward container loading for the first time.
The 8.86-km rail corridor connecting the terminal, which includes India’s second-longest railway bridge, had not handled a train for three years before the recent recovery, according to officials cited by the Times of India. The corridor was launched in 2011 but has faced prolonged underutilisation.
BPCL recently loaded four full rakes of bitumen consignments from the terminal. The development enables outward movement of cargo from Vallarpadam, where the rail facility had previously been used only for inward container movement. Empty containers had to be returned in the opposite direction, limiting the commercial viability of the service.
“Container Corporation of India Ltd, a subsidiary of railways, has resumed container freight services,” a senior official said. The official added that Vallarpadam had also received an inward consignment of car units for export and that discussions were under way to shift more such movement to Cochin Port from ports in Tamil Nadu.
Officials are also working to expand rail cargo connections with northern and central Indian markets. Hari V S, terminal manager at the Vallarpadam container freight station, said return domestic cargo services using empty containers had begun or were being extended to Delhi, Kolkata, Jharkhand, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Madhya Pradesh, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru. A new terminal has also been started at Mysuru, he said.
The authorities are seeking freight from Kerala’s local manufacturing clusters, including the Perumbavoor plywood and furniture sector. The cluster comprises more than 1,000 companies and produces an estimated 400 to 500 tonnes a day, according to the report. Officials are offering affordable freight rates to encourage these businesses to reach northern markets by rail.
Rail freight could also reduce pressure on highways. Officials said one rake can remove up to 90 trucks from congested roads, while the service can function as intermediate warehousing by giving customers additional time to collect goods at the destination. The extent of the shift will depend on freight pricing, service reliability and the availability of cargo for both directions.
Industry representatives have linked the future of the rail corridor to international vessel connectivity at Cochin Port. Varghese K George, president of the Kerala Steamer Agents Association, said businesses often choose Mumbai or Chennai because of more assured vessel connections, even though transporting cargo through Cochin Port can be cheaper.
Cochin Port has recently begun receiving calls from MGR IFR Service, a fortnightly shipping connection linking Cochin and Nhava Sheva with Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, Sohar in Oman and Aden in Yemen. Ravinder Johal, COO ports and terminals at DP World Cochin, said the service expands the port’s network and gives customers more access to Middle Eastern markets.
The immediate next steps are the proposed movement of car units through Cochin Port, expansion of return cargo services and efforts to attract industrial consignments from Kerala and northern markets. Officials and industry representatives will also be watching whether the new international vessel connection can support sustained rail volumes at Vallarpadam.
