South Coast Railway loads first wood pulp consignment to Maharashtra

The South Coast Railway's Vijayawada division has successfully loaded and dispatched its first rake carrying wood pulp to Maharashtra, signalling a major development in the region's freight logistics. The milestone represents an expansion of the railway's commodity portfolio and reflects growing industrial demand across the western coast.

Railway officials estimate that wood pulp loading could generate approximately 1.5 lakh tonnes of additional freight annually. This new cargo stream is expected to contribute an estimated ₹20 crore in annual freight revenue, providing a meaningful boost to the division's operational performance.

The movement of wood pulp through the Vijayawada division underscores the South Coast Railway's strategic positioning to serve industrial hubs in Maharashtra. The route offers connectivity between production centres and manufacturing clusters, potentially enabling more efficient supply chains across the region.

The consignment marks the beginning of what railway authorities anticipate will be regular wood pulp shipments, leveraging existing rail infrastructure to serve growing demand from paper mills and allied industries. The development aligns with broader efforts to increase non-coal freight volumes across Indian railways.