India’s Largest Automobile Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal Inaugurated at Maruti Suzuki Manesar

Manesar, Haryana, June 17 – Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Monday inaugurated India’s largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal at Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s Manesar facility in Haryana. This state-of-the-art terminal marks a major leap in enhancing the logistics efficiency of automobile transportation in the country.

The terminal is linked to Patli railway station through a dedicated 10 km rail corridor, forming part of the 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor developed by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC). The construction of this rail link involved an investment of ₹800 crore, with HRIDC contributing ₹684 crore and the remaining funded by Maruti Suzuki. With an impressive loading capacity of 4.5 lakh automobiles per year, the terminal now ranks among the highest-capacity freight terminals in India.

Addressing the event, Minister Vaishnaw emphasized the transformative progress made by Indian Railways in the past decade. “Before 2014, the railway budget was around ₹24,000–25,000 crore annually. Today, it stands at ₹2.5 lakh crore,” he said. He highlighted several passenger-centric developments, including the addition of over 1,200 General Coaches in the past year and a campaign to upgrade basic amenities like toilets and infrastructure at stations.

In a significant move to improve regional connectivity, Vaishnaw announced that over 100 MEMU trains will be upgraded from 8–12 coaches to 16–20 coaches, especially benefitting short-distance commuters. A new manufacturing facility has also been established in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh, for MEMU train production.

Referring to the growing success of the Namo Bharat semi-high-speed trains, the minister revealed plans to manufacture 50 more trains in response to high public demand. He further shared impressive operational achievements, stating that in FY 2023–24, Indian Railways transported around 720 crore passengers and 1,617 million tonnes of freight, securing the position of the second-highest freight carrier globally.

On passenger convenience, Vaishnaw introduced a new rule for Tatkal ticket booking, effective July 1, 2025. As per the reform, only Aadhaar-authenticated and KYC-verified users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window, aimed at ensuring fair access for genuine travelers.

He also highlighted a successful pilot project in the Bikaner Division, where reservation charts are now prepared 24 hours in advance instead of the previous 4-hour timeline, receiving positive feedback from passengers.

Discussing the rollout of Amrit Bharat trains, Vaishnaw noted that three trains are currently operational with enthusiastic public response, and six more are in the pipeline, with production of 50 additional trains underway.

Focusing on Haryana’s development, the minister pointed out that the state’s railway budget allocation has grown tenfold, from ₹300 crore before 2014 to ₹3,416 crore this year. He reported that 823 km of new railway lines have been laid in the state in the last 11 years, and Haryana’s entire railway network is now fully electrified.

Currently, railway projects worth ₹11,800 crore are underway in Haryana, including the redevelopment of 34 stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and the construction of 540 road overbridges and underpasses. He also mentioned that the Railway Coach Factory in Sonipat is being modernized and will soon be inaugurated.

The event was graced by Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Industries Minister Shri Rao Narbir Singh, MLA Shri Mukesh Sharma, and Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, CEO and Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki India Limited.