Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has announced a significant milestone in its logistics operations with the successful arrival of the first batch of its vehicles in the Kashmir Valley by rail. This makes Maruti Suzuki the first automobile manufacturer in the country to use the Indian Railways network to dispatch vehicles directly to the region.
Maiden Journey Covers 850 km via World’s Highest Railway Arch Bridge
The maiden train carried over 100 vehicles, including popular models such as the Brezza, Dzire, WagonR, and S-Presso. It departed from the company’s recently inaugurated in-plant railway siding in Manesar and covered more than 850 km to reach the newly opened Anantnag railway terminal in Jammu & Kashmir. Notably, the journey also marked the crossing of the world’s highest railway arch bridge over the Chenab river, inaugurated earlier this year as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, emphasized the transformative impact of this development. “In recent times, apples from the valley have been transported using the Jammu & Kashmir rail link. Now, Maruti Suzuki cars will be transported to Kashmir valley by rail. Jammu – Srinagar railway line is a game changer for the people of Jammu & Kashmir.”
Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, highlighted the strategic importance of this move. “Railway dispatches are central to our logistics strategy. The world’s highest railway arch bridge over Chenab river is one such landmark, enabling seamless and efficient connectivity to Kashmir valley and allowing Maruti Suzuki to better serve customers in the region,” he said. He also reaffirmed the company’s alignment with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, under which Maruti Suzuki operates two in-plant railway sidings at its Manesar and Gujarat manufacturing plants.
Green Logistics Efforts
Maruti Suzuki has been a pioneer in adopting railways as a sustainable and efficient means of vehicle transport. The company became the first in India to obtain an Automobile Freight Train Operator (AFTO) license in 2013. Since FY 2014-15, it has dispatched over 2.6 million vehicles via Indian Railways, significantly reducing carbon emissions and easing highway congestion. With this latest milestone, Maruti Suzuki reinforces its commitment to greener logistics, improved connectivity, and enhanced customer service across the country, now extending to the Kashmir Valley.
