Bhubaneswar, Jul 10 (PTI) The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has set up business development units (BDUs) to facilitate industries to use its freight services more and increase its share in the transportation of goods of various sectors, an official said on Friday.

The BDUs have been set up by the ECoR, both at zonal and divisional levels, as directed by the Railway Board, he said.

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The members of the special units will have frequent interaction with representatives of the industries to know about the existing transportation pattern and also to attract more traffic to the railways, the official said.

These units will facilitate industry, trade representatives and rail freight customers to get in touch with the railways at appropriate zonal and divisional levels, he said.

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"The BDUs will serve as nodal points for expeditious clearance of proposals for freight movement, which will benefit both the customers and the railways," he said.

At the zonal level, the four-member BDU was set up by ECoR General Manager Vidya Bhushan.

The unit has chief freight transportation manager Sanjay Mishra as its convener, while other members are chief commercial manager (freight services) P C Sahoo, chief rolling stock engineer (freight) S P Singh and financial advisor and chief accounts officer B K Mishra.

Similar BDUs have also been formed in all the three divisions of the ECoR at Khurda Road, Visakhapatnam and Sambalpur, comprising the branch officers from operation, commercial, mechanical and finance departments.

"BDUs will interact frequently with the customers and industries and explore ways to increase miscellaneous non-bulk goods traffic, along with strengthening the railway's share in traditional commodities being carried at present," the official said.

Proposals will be promptly analysed and immediate assistance will be sought from the zonal railways and the Railway Board, if required.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)