In a significant development for India’s transportation infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the nation’s maiden automobile in-plant railway siding. The inauguration was held at Suzuki Motor Gujarat Private Limited, a subsidiary fully owned by Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), facilitated through a virtual conferencing session.
Under the flagship Gati Shakti program spearheaded by the Prime Minister, this pioneering initiative aims to revolutionize logistics, minimize carbon emissions, curtail fossil fuel consumption, and alleviate road congestion.
Upon reaching its full operational capacity, the railway siding facility in Gujarat is likely to dispatch a remarkable 300,000 cars annually to 15 different destinations across India.
The implementation of this project is a testament to the successful collaboration between Gujarat Rail Infrastructure Development (G-RIDE), a joint initiative between the Government of Gujarat and Indian Railways, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), and MSIL.
Hisashi Takeuchi, the Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, dedicated the project to sustainable logistics, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the Prime Minister’s ambitious Gati Shakti program. He highlighted the milestone achieved as Maruti Suzuki emerged as the first automobile company in India to integrate a railway siding facility within its manufacturing plant.
Takeuchi emphasised the company’s commitment to sustainable mobility, particularly as they anticipate doubling their production capacity from the current 2 million units per annum to 4 million units per annum by 2030-31. The introduction of the in-plant railway facility is poised to significantly bolster vehicle dispatches via railways, furthering their dedication to eco-friendly practices in the automotive sector.
