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The South Western Railway (SWR) ferried 64 truck chasis of Ashok Leyland in a single rake to Ballabgarh in Haryana from Hosur in Tamil Nadu, said an official on Friday.

"We used a special type of rake for loading automobiles to transport the 64 truck chasis," said the zonal official here.

The shipment was handled by IVC Logistics Ltd in partnership with Leyland and the Bengaluru division of the zonal railway.

"We are in the process of transporting automobiles through trains in addition to raw materials and essential commodities across the country," said the official.

The division shipped 175 tractors from Doddaballapur station near Bengaluru to Phuleria in Rajasthan a year ago.

"We have operated 182 rakes in fiscal 2020-21, carrying tractors and tillers from Doddaballapur, passenger cars from Penukonda in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state, 2-wheelers from Malur in Kolar district and light commercial vehicles from Hosur across the border," recalled the official.

The zonal railway plans to carry more automobiles on rakes, giving an alternative transport mode to their makers, who have been using road-bound cargo for ferrying their vehicles across the country.

"Recent policies such as of two points unloading of NMG (newly modified goods) rakes and exemption of terminal charges have enabled us to transport all types of vehicles," added the official.