India opens entire rail network to container train operators under single licence

Indian Railways has approved a major overhaul of its container train licensing framework, allowing private Container Train Operators (CTOs) to operate across the country’s entire rail network under a single All India licence. The reform replaces the existing system of route-based licence categories and separate fees, giving operators access to all routes across the Indian Railways network under one permission. The changes have been approved through modifications to the Model Concession Agreement (MCA), which governs permissions for container train operations. They will take effect following publication through a Gazette Notification. Single licence replaces route-based system Under the revised framework, the existing route-wise categorisation of container train licences will be discontinued.