Maruti Suzuki Doubles Down On Rail For Moving Cars To Dealers, Export Hubs

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. on Tuesday inaugurated India's largest in-plant automobile railway siding at its Manesar facility, a move aimed at significantly reducing the company's reliance on road transport and cutting its carbon footprint.

This is Maruti's second such facility after Gujarat and forms a critical part of its green logistics shift under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan.

The siding, built in collaboration with the Haryana Orbital Rail Corporation Ltd, connects the Manesar plant to the Manesar-Patli line. Maruti has invested Rs 452 crore in the project, which is part of a Rs 12,500 crore corridor linking Sonipat to Palwal. At full capacity, the Manesar siding will handle the dispatch of 4.5 lakh vehicles annually, including models such as Baleno, Ertiga, DZire, WagonR, Celerio, Spresso and XL6. That is 50% of the Manesar plant's 9 lakh per annum production capacity.

This shift to rail is expected to eliminate 65,000 truck trips every year, save 6 crore litres of fuel, and cut an estimated 1.75 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Since the financial year ending March 2015, Maruti has dispatched 25 lakh vehicles by rail and now aims to move 35% of its total dispatches via railway by 2030, up from 5% a decade ago to 25% currently.

The facility will connect to 17 hubs serving 380 cities across India and export hubs like Gujarat's Mundra and Pipavav seaports. Apart from reducing fossil fuel consumption and easing highway congestion, Maruti says the siding aligns with its commitment to India's net zero goals.