19/06/2026
As part of the ๐๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐บ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ โ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ & ๐๐ผ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ: ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฒ๐
๐ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, the Session on โ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐บ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ โ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐, ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐โ examined the critical challenges and opportunities in strengthening multimodal logistics connectivity across Eastern India. The discussion focused on improving the integration of road, rail, ports and freight infrastructure to create a more efficient, reliable and cost-effective logistics ecosystem.
The session was chaired by Mr Jayant Singh, IRTS, Chairman, Land Port Authority of India, Ministry of Home Affairs and was moderated by Mr Sanjiv Garg, Secretary General, CILT and Former Additional Member, Railway Board, who guided the discussion on key bottlenecks impacting multimodal freight movement and the measures required to improve corridor efficiency.
The distinguished panellists included Mr Ranjit Rana, Associate Vice President, Jindal Stainless; Mr Niraj Verma, Principal Chief Operation Manager, Eastern Railway, Ministry of Railways; Mr Manish Agarwal, Country Head, TKM Global Logistics; and Mr Roshan Singh, Group General Manager, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL). The panellists shared their perspectives on the challenges affecting multimodal logistics connectivity across road, rail and port networks, highlighting infrastructure gaps, operational inefficiencies and the need for greater alignment among stakeholders involved in freight movement.
A key theme of the discussion was the high logistics cost in India, estimated at nearly 14% of GDP, and the urgent need to improve efficiency across the logistics value chain. The panellists pointed to interchange inefficiencies, documentation complexities, fragmented processes and extended dwell times between ports, railways and road transport systems as major factors impacting service predictability and increasing overall logistics costs. The importance of reducing turnaround times and enabling seamless cargo movement across modes was emphasized as a prerequisite for building globally competitive supply chains.
The discussion also emphasised upon the importance of stronger coordination among central ministries, state governments and infrastructure agencies to facilitate seamless multimodal integration.
