Maruti Suzuki accelerates green logistics, eyes 1.4 million rail shipments by FY31

Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the country’s largest automobile manufacturer, is aiming to dispatch 1.4 million units via railway as it accelerates its green logistics initiatives. The company, on Tuesday, unveiled the country’s largest automobile in-plant railway siding at its Manesar facility.

According to Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, the company is aiming to increase its railway dispatches to 35% by FY31. Since FY15, Maruti Suzuki’s total vehicle dispatches through railways have grown nearly eightfold—from 5% in FY15 to 24.3% in FY25—according to an official document by the company.

In FY25, Maruti Suzuki dispatched 5.18 lakh vehicles, or about one-fourth of the company’s total vehicle dispatches, through Indian Railways.

As per the document, a record 25 lakh vehicles have been cumulatively dispatched by Maruti Suzuki through Indian Railways since FY2014-15.
At present, the company dispatches vehicles to more than 21 hubs, serving over 600 cities across India.

With the company’s production capacity set to reach 4 million units by FY31, there are plans to augment the use of railways in vehicle dispatches to nearly 35% over the next 5–6 years.

“This means a growth of almost 40% from the current level, and we will be able to avoid an estimated one lakh seventy-five thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and save sixty million litres of fuel annually,” notes Takeuchi.

As per the company, it is expected to eliminate around 65,000 truck trips every year.

Notably, the railway siding features a fully electrified corridor of 8.2 km, which includes four full-length tracks, one engine escape track, a two-floor station building, a guard-driver pathway, car parking facilities, and more.

Maruti Suzuki’s internal railway yard development has been executed by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HRIDC). For the execution of the Manesar Siding project, Maruti Suzuki has partnered with a joint venture company called Haryana Orbital Rail Corporation Ltd (HORCL).

It is a joint venture between Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HRIDC), Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HSIIDC), Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), All Cargo Logistics, and Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

The equity contribution under the joint venture stands at HRIDC – 55.4%, HSIIDC – 19%, Maruti Suzuki – 13%, All Cargo Logistics – 7.6%, and GMDA – 5%.
The total project cost under HORCL is estimated at ₹11,709 crore.