Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday inaugurated the country’s largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal at Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s Manesar plant in Haryana.
The newly launched terminal marks a major step in strengthening India’s transportation infrastructure, especially for the automobile sector. The facility is designed to significantly boost the logistics efficiency of vehicle transportation across the country.
Located adjacent to Maruti Suzuki’s manufacturing facility in Manesar, the terminal is connected via a 10-kilometre dedicated rail link to Patli railway station, forming part of the 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, which is being developed by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (HRIDC).
The dedicated rail link was constructed at a cost of ₹800 crore, with HRIDC contributing ₹684 crore, while the remaining investment was made by Maruti Suzuki. The terminal boasts a loading capacity of 4.5 lakh vehicles annually, making it one of the highest-capacity automobile terminals in the country.
During the event, the Minister also shared updates on the government’s initiatives to modernize passenger train services. He announced that over 100 MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains will be upgraded — increasing their coach composition from 8 or 12 coaches to 16–20 coaches — to enhance convenience for short-distance travelers. A new manufacturing facility for MEMU trains has been set up in Kazipet, Andhra Pradesh, he added.
Highlighting the state’s railway development, Vaishnaw noted that Haryana’s annual railway budget allocation has increased from ₹300 crore before 2014 to a record ₹3,416 crore in the current year. Over the last 11 years, 823 km of new railway lines have been added, and the entire railway network in the state is now fully electrified.
He further informed that rail infrastructure projects worth ₹11,800 crore are currently underway in Haryana. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 34 railway stations in the state are being redeveloped, and 540 road overbridges and underpasses have been constructed to improve connectivity and safety.
In addition, Vaishnaw revealed that the Railway Coach Factory in Sonipat is undergoing modernization. Once complete, the upgraded facility is expected to significantly enhance coach production capacity in the country.
The inauguration underscores the government’s continued push for multi-modal connectivity and infrastructure modernization under the Gati Shakti initiative, with Haryana emerging as a key hub in the national logistics network.
