The initiative, led by the Commercial Branch of Southern Railway’s Thiruvananthapuram division, seeks to improve cargo storage, handling and distribution by connecting production centres with railway freight terminals and markets. The project aligns with Indian Railways’ Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals and Cargo-Related Facilities policy.    Southern Railway has identified land parcels measuring approximately 4,400 square metres at Angamali and 3,240 square metres at Karukutty for initial assessment. Developers can specify the area required for their proposed facilities rather than seeking the entire available site. Final land allocations and site suitability will be determined at the tender stage.    Depending on demand and commercial feasibility, the proposed facilities could accommodate warehouses, cold storage for perishable goods, e-commerce storage and order-processing centres. Additional services may include cargo sorting, grading, packaging and labelling.    These facilities could help consolidate smaller consignments for onward transportation by rail, improve handling of agricultural produce and reduce spoilage through appropriate cold-chain infrastructure.    Selected private developers will be responsible for financing, developing and operating the facilities at their own cost and risk. The proposed licence period is 25 years, with applicable land charges and minimum railway freight commitments forming part of the terms.    Through the Expression of Interest process, Southern Railway aims to assess prospective developers’ investment plans, proposed infrastructure and expected cargo volumes before proceeding to the tender stage.    The proposed cargo facilities are expected to improve first- and last-mile connectivity by linking road-based cargo collection and delivery with rail freight services. This could provide businesses, manufacturers, agricultural producers and e-commerce operators with additional logistics options.    For Kerala, stronger rail-linked cargo infrastructure could support more efficient freight movement, improve access to wider domestic markets and encourage a shift towards rail-based transportation where commercially viable.   

The project represents another step in Southern Railway’s efforts to attract private investment into logistics infrastructure and strengthen the integration of rail freight with regional supply chains.