Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has demonstrated its dedication to sustainable logistics by achieving a milestone of dispatching 2 million vehicles through railways. This achievement positions Maruti Suzuki as the pioneering automotive company in India to reach this environmental goal.
The company has substantially increased its use of railways for vehicle dispatches, from 65,700 units in FY 2014-15 to 447,750 units in FY 2023-24. Rail transport provides a congestion-free, safer, and more energy-efficient option compared to road transportation. Currently, Maruti Suzuki dispatches vehicles to 20 destinations, reaching over 450 cities across India using the railway network.
In discussing this accomplishment, Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, the Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, stated, “More than a decade ago, Maruti Suzuki led the way in utilizing railways for vehicle dispatches as the first Indian company to secure the Automobile-Freight-Train-Operator license. Since then, we have consistently increased our reliance on railways for dispatching vehicles. Through our ongoing efforts in sustainable transportation, we have achieved significant outcomes, including a total reduction of approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions and around 270 million litres of fuel savings. With our production capacity set to nearly double from 2 million units to 4 million units by FY 2030-31, we aim to expand the use of railways in dispatching vehicles by nearly 35% in the next 7-8 years. We are committed to supporting the Indian government’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.”
Earlier this year, as part of the PM Gati Shakti program, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the first in-plant railway siding for automobiles at Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat facility. This siding has the capacity to dispatch around 300,000 vehicles annually. Another in-plant railway siding is currently under construction at the Manesar facility and will become operational soon. Leveraging Indian railways for vehicle dispatches aligns with the objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #13, which focuses on climate action.
SOURCE: Maruti Suzuki
