VISAKHAPATNAM: The first Kisan Rail from East Coast Railway left for Adarsh Nagar on Saturday with 220 tonnes of mangoes, loaded at Vizianagaram railway station under Visakhapatnam based Waltair Railway Division.
Fifty percent tariff concession was given on transportation charges.
Waltair division made consistent efforts for the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities during the pandemic.
In the last financial year, despite odd situations the division operated time tabled parcel specials across the country and mangoes were transported in 20 special trains from Vizianagaram, the nodal point in North Andra Pradesh, said the division's head Chetan Kumar Shrivastava.
The government started the concept of running Kisan Rails for boosting income to the farm sector, by providing hassle-free, safe and speedy transport services of agricultural produce.
To encourage the farmers, Ministry of Food Processing Industries in association with Indian Railways, announced 50 percent tariff concession on transportation of notified fruits and vegetables through Kisan Rails under ‘Operations Greens – TOP to Total’.
The Business Development Unit (BDU), Waltair Division, conducted regular negotiations with farmers and explained to them the benefits of transportation of their produce through Kisan Rails.
Chetan Kumar Shrivastava appealed to the farmers, traders and the exporters to utilize the opportunity of Kisan Rail special trains for safe and speedy transportation of the fruit stocks.