BENGALURU: Farmers from various parts of the country are dependent on tractors manufactured in Karnataka. Due to the Covid-induced lockdown, many such tractors were stuck here after the inter-state road transport was blocked.
This has become a business opportunity for the Bengaluru Railway Division which has begun transporting tractors to Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam. A total of 175 tractors can be accommodated on one goods rake with the latest consignment sent to Gujarat on July 9.
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), based in Doddaballapur, manufactures and assembles these tractors with spare parts brought from Chennai. “If vehicles are sent by trucks, the drivers would have to be quarantined, depending on the rules of the home state.
Hence, this arrangement works to the advantage of all,” said A N Krishna Reddy, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Bengaluru Railway Division. “The division has earned nearly Rs 3.6 crore by dispatching 22 such rakes to Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Jodhpur and Assam between April 29 and July 9. Spare parts, cars and tillers too have been transported,” he added.
According to Divisional Railway Manager A K Verma, “We expect to load over 10 rakes of tractors and 5 rakes of cars this month.” Meanwhile, in a sign of revival of business, export of granite slabs to other countries including China from Shettihalli in Channapatna taluk has commenced on July 10 after a lull in despatch last month.