Indian Railways Unveils One Pan-India Licence to Transform Container Freight Business

Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced major reforms for India’s container freight sector. Indian Railways will replace four existing licence categories with a single unified pan-India licence, allowing operators to run container trains across the railway network without route, origin or destination restrictions. The licence will remain valid for 20 years, with a uniform registration fee of ₹25 crore and no extension or renewal charges. The reform aims to simplify business operations, attract private investment and bring more non-bulk cargo to railways. It is also expected to reduce logistics costs, road congestion and pollution across India.