Southern Railway-Business Development Units Set Up In Railways

Business Development Units Set Up In Railways

The Business Development Unit of Palakkad Division of Southern Railway tasted its first sweet of success when a demand to transport packaged palm oil from Mangaluru to Lucknow was materialised last week. Within a week of forming the new Business Development Unit, the division was able to capture a demand for 42 wagons of packaged palm oil from Panamburu goods shed to Mohanlalganj near Lucknow, 2500 km away. Loaded with 2640 tonnes of packed palm-oil in covered wagons, fetched an earning of Rs.38, 55,536 for railways.

The Business Development Unit (BDU) commenced functioning at Divisional Level as per Railway Board guidelines and is expected to facilitate new proposals for loading so as to increase volume and earnings in the freight segment.

Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Palakkad Division Shri Pratap Singh Shami established the Business Development Unit and it shall work under the supervision of Additional DRM Dr. C. T. Sakkeer Hussain with Senior Divisional Operations Manager, Shri P. L. Ashok Kumar, as Convenor. The BDU committee also consists of Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer Shri K. V. Sundaresan and Senior Divisional Finance Manager Shri A. P. Sivachander and Shri Jerin. G. Anand, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager.

With the aim of capturing new streams of traffic, railway officials held regular interactions with industries in Baikampady industrial area adjacent to Panamburu goods shed and New Mangalore port. The proposal for loading packaged palm oil ‘Raag Gold’ of Adani Wilmar, refined at Baikampady industrial area was the first proposal formulated by the committee and sent to the zonal level. Railways is gearing up to handle more transport from Panamburu area to various destinations in the country.