Northern Railways helps Maruti export Jimny cars to African countries

The initiative is slated to generate additional loading and revenue for the Railways, and is being touted as an environmentally friendly means of transporting automobiles and hassle-free movement in comparison to roadways.

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India has collaborated with Delhi Rail Division of Northern Railway to transport its Jimny cars to western ports through freight trains, which will be further transhipped in vessels to African nations, an official statement said.

According to the statement, Sukhvinder Singh, Divisional Railway Manager, flagged off the first freight train with 98 cars on Tuesday from Farukhnagar station in Gurugram to Pipavav Port (West Coast) in the presence of the senior officials of Maruti as well as Delhi Rail Division.

"Delhi Division, Northern Railway has become the preferred partner of Automotive Industries and in a major boost to increase export of automobile, M/s Maruti Suzuki India Limited is now transporting Maruti Cars of Jimny model to Western ports, which are further being transhipped in vessels to African nations," said Prem Shankar Jha, Executive Advisor to DRM.

He added, "The first rake was loaded on January 23, 2024, from Farukhnagar station to Pipava Port. The rake composition consists of 25 NMG (New Modified Goods) type wagons, which carried 98 cars to the destination."

Singh said this initiative will not only generate additional loading and revenue for the Railways, but it is also an environmentally friendly means of transporting automobiles by trains and also provides hassle-free movement in comparison to roadways.

The positive results of these initiatives are visible in the enhancement of automobile loading by 75 per cent in the current financial year over the corresponding period of last year -- April-December, he added.