Southern Railway has invited Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from private developers to set up rail-linked cargo facilities on railway land in Kerala. The proposed facilities will focus on warehousing, cold storage, e-commerce logistics and cargo consolidation, helping businesses shift a larger share of freight to rail.     The initiative is being led by the zone’s commercial branch under Indian Railways’ policy for Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals and Cargo-Related Facilities. It aims to improve first- and last-mile connectivity by linking production centres with railway freight terminals and connecting those terminals to markets through rail, road and other transport modes.     Angamali and Karukutty railway stations in Ernakulam district have been identified for initial feasibility assessment. Southern Railway has earmarked 4,400 square metres of land at Angamali and 3,240 square metres at Karukutty for the proposed cargo facilities.     Developers can specify their land requirements instead of seeking the entire available area at either location. The final site area and suitability will be confirmed at the tender stage.     The EoI process will help Southern Railway assess demand, proposed investments and expected cargo volumes. Interested developers are expected to share details of the facilities they plan to establish and the freight they expect to handle.     The proposed cargo facilities may include warehouses, cold storage for perishable goods, and storage and order-processing centres for e-commerce shipments. Services such as sorting, grading, packaging and labelling could also be offered, depending on demand and commercial viability.     Cold storage facilities could help reduce spoilage and improve the handling of perishable cargo, including agricultural produce. The facilities are also expected to aggregate smaller consignments for onward rail movement, improving connections between producers, freight terminals and end markets.     Under the proposed framework, selected private entities will develop and operate the cargo facilities at their own cost and risk. The proposed licence period is 25 years.    

The agreement will include applicable land charges and minimum railway freight commitments. Southern Railway expects the model to encourage private investment while expanding Kerala’s multimodal logistics capacity and improving the movement of goods by rail.