Following the Railway Budget, the Association of Container Train Operators (Acto) is planning to meet the officials of the railway board to put forth certain demands that have not been fulfilled in the budget. The 10% rebate on haulage charges on domestic movement of cargo in container rails in the weight category of at least 20 tonne have been removed from June 30. Moreover, there has also been a 2-5% increase in the haulage charges which has led to a major disappointment for the private container operators.

“The increase in haulage charges since July 1 and the removal of the discount for domestic cargo movement were quite disappointing. We had earlier made our demands, but nothing has been done in the budget. Hence, we will be meeting officials from the railway board next week to put forth the demands,” commented a top official from Acto, on conditions of anonymity.

Apart from this, the association will also be putting forth demands to reduce the haulage charges for empty container trains, as well as their demands regarding assured transit time.

The rebate had been granted to the 16 licensed container train operators in the country since November 1, 2008. The rebate to container train operators was initially given till December and was extended once till March and then till June, after operators petitioned the ministry of railways for a complete rollback of the 5-16% hike in rail haulage charges in some weight categories from August 1. The discount was not applicable to movement of export-import containers of all weight categories.

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