The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) has floated a tender inviting private players to be a part of the roll-off roll-on (RO-RO) service between Palanpur in Gujarat and Rewari in Haryana on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

The request for proposal (RfP) issued by DFCCIL states that the winning bidder will have the sole rights to ferry fully-loaded trucks on trains on the 714 km stretch for a period of one year. It will involve 900 trips, each with 45 loaded trucks, on the newly-opened stretch of WDFC.

Two rakes consisting of 45 BRN wagons each, modified/customised and made suitable by the Indian Railways for loading and unloading of trucks on/from each of the wagons as RO-RO service.

Further facilities like entry/exit ramps, connectivity from concerned traffic yards to a motorable road and lighting in concerned traffic yards would be provided by DFCCIL.

It also states that the base value of the contract will be Rs 81 crore, based on calculations that each trip would earn an estimated Rs nine lakh.

The RO-RO service aims to reduce carbon emission and congestion as 66,000 diesel-guzzling trucks pass through Delhi and its adjoining areas every day on the way to Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Around 20,000 trucks not servicing NCR enter the region to travel further.

This system will create a win-win situation for truckers as goods will be transported in a safe and faster way, saving the cost on diesel and man-hours, besides reducing pollution levels.