The Karnataka CM Yediyurappa on Sunday morning flagged off the first-of-its-kind 'Roll On Roll Off' train from Bengaluru to Solapur, Maharashtra. The train will ply carrying freight trucks and was flagged off at the Nelamangala station.
The Karnataka CM with the State railway minister Suresh Angadi and revenue minister R Ashoka attended the flag-off ceremony via video conferencing.
CM Yediyurappa flas off RORO train in Nelamangala
On Sunday morning, the South Western Railways held a flag-off ceremony for the first Roll On Roll Off (RORO) train from Bengaluru to Bale near Solapur in Maharashtra. The train was flagged off at the Nelamangala station on the outskirts of the city.
This train consists of open flat wagons on which trucks and goods will be loaded. The idea behind this is to increase multi-modal transport. The train will ply for 17 hours before it reaches its destination, a distance of 682 km. It can carry up to 42 trucks with 1260 tonnes can be carried during one run, either way, the SWR has said.
In its video, the SWR said, "The Roll On Roll Off is a futuristic transport as it saves fuel and eliminates all tolls, check posts, etc. It will connect regions having agricultural products and their consumers. Apart from agriculture industries stand to benefit immensely by Roll On Roll Off as this is much more economical than road transport." The idea behind the RORO is to ensure 'uninterrupted supply of essential commodities.
At the flag-off, CM Yediyurappa thanked PM Narendra Modi for allowing such an initiative. He also said that that the this will help agriculturalists in Karnataka and Maharashtra as well is reduce traffic on roads.
