Noida: Exporters and manufacturers in Noida and Greater Noida are set to benefit from lower freight costs and faster cargo movement after Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) on Tuesday launched double-stack container train services between Dadri multi-modal logistics park and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in Navi Mumbai.Until now, only single-stack trains operated on the route. By carrying nearly twice the number of containers in a single trip, the new service is expected to reduce transportation costs per container, improve turnaround time and make products manufactured in the region more price-competitive.Simply put, if a trader earlier spent, say Rs 100, to move a container, the freight cost is expected to come down as almost double the cargo can now be transported in one journey.Officials said the service would strengthen one of north India’s busiest freight corridors while helping the Dadri depot achieve its target of handling 10 lakh containers annually by 2028.Commissioned on Jan 26, 2004, the 260-acre Dadri logistics park is among north India’s largest inland container depots. It is connected to JNPA as well as the ports of Mundra, Pipavav and Kandla, and houses five container freight stations under one roof.The depot handled more than 1.7 lakh TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of exports in 2025-26, including meat products, handicrafts, garments, food items, tractor parts, tyres, auto parts and furniture. Imports crossed 1.5 lakh TEUs, comprising waste paper, electronics, machinery, metal scrap, glass products, PVC items and fabrics.CONCOR chairperson and managing director Sanjay Swarup said Dadri’s connectivity to both the western and eastern dedicated freight corridors gives it a distinct advantage. “The western corridor connects Dadri with Gujarat and Mumbai, through which most exports move, while the eastern corridor links it to Bengal. Double-stack trains to Mumbai will reduce freight costs and further strengthen the region’s logistics network,” he said.Swarup said lower logistics costs would directly improve the competitiveness of Indian products in global markets and encourage higher exports. CONCOR also plans to increase the depot’s annual handling capacity to 10 lakh containers by 2028.The logistics park is also working with Noida International Airport to integrate air cargo operations. “Cargo can be customs-cleared at Dadri before being shipped by air. The airport and the depot will complement each other,” Swarup said.Industry representatives said the dedicated freight corridor had already transformed cargo movement. “When we operated through Tughlakabad, goods took about a week to reach Gujarat or Mumbai. After shifting to Dadri, transit time has come down to around two days,” said Anurag Nagpal, associate vice-president at Allcargo Global.Exporters, however, said easing peak-hour congestion around the Dadri depot would be equally important to ensure local businesses reap the full benefits of the upgraded freight network.
