India’s ‘Horticulture Express’ has sat idle since its first run carrying onions from Kherwadi to Kolkata on 18 June.
The service, which is jointly run by the National Horticulture Board and Container Corporation Limited (Concor), uses specially designed carriages to keep produce fresh as it is transported to major centres in the country.It was designed to improve the country’s cold chain infrastructure and reduce the amount of produce that spoils before it reaches the marketplace.
Problems have arisen securing produce volumes to justify the return trip from Kolkata to Kherwadi, the Times of India has reported.
Officials have told the newspaper banana traders had been reluctant to use the service and other operational difficulties had arisen. 'Since our train has to be loaded fully at one station, the Railway authorities did not allow us to park the train at any other station. However, we are also awaiting Raver, which is the heart of Banana production, to be declared as a Container Railway Terminal by Central Railway, only after which loading can be planned,' S Rajagopalan, a Concor senior official, told the newpaper.
