The ambitious Mission 3000 plan of India is trying to enhance the freight loading capabilities of the Indian Railways. This initiative aims to achieve a cargo volume of 3,000 million tonnes (MT) by 2030. Despite facing criticism for its slow progress, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw remains optimistic about meeting the targets. The ministry anticipates increases in freight volumes through various infrastructure projects.
Railways is projected to surpass 1,600 MT of cargo for the first time this financial year. However, it needs to nearly double its output within five years to meet the Mission 3000 target. The government has revised its freight loading estimates, now set at 1,635 MT for the current year and 1,700 MT for 2025-26. This reflects a mere 2.9% growth in freight for the current financial year.
Sonnagar-Andal quadrupling project is one of the key projects that are expected to boost cargo capacity. The government has allocated over ₹2,500 crore for Delhi’s railway infrastructure in the FY26 budget. Additionally, the introduction of hydrogen trains and Namo Bharat trains aims to modernise the fleet.
If one considers the history, the Indian Railways held a dominant 85% market share in logistics in 1950-51. However, this has now decreased to 27% as road transport has gained popularity. If the current growth trend continues, railways could see its market share drop to 22% by FY30. The internal report Mission 3000 MT suggests expanding the network, increasing rolling stock, and reducing cargo tariffs by up to 30% by 2026-27. The report aims to enhance the average cargo speed from 24 km/h to 50 km/h and increase container movement market share from 16% to 32%.
The environmental concerns are at work while considering the shift to rail transport. Road freight contributes to carbon emissions. Increasing rail freight share is expected to lower logistics costs and reduce CO2 emissions, benefiting the environment.