Over 500 Wheat Wagons Stranded Awaiting Clearance To Cross Bangladesh Border

Amid the heavy demand for wagons for goods transportation in the freight sector, over 500 wheat-loaded wagons are being stranded nearly a month awaiting clearance from DGFT (Director General of Foreign Trade) to cross Bangladesh border.

Though the government has put a curb on wheat export to meet the domestic demand, it has amended its wheat export ban order of 13 May to allow export consignments that were registered in the Customs Department's systems and handed over for examination on or prior to 13 May to be shipped out.

Currently, there are about 12 rakes of wheat meant for export to Bangladesh with letter of credit issued before 13 May 2022 being stranded at different locations in India.

While a total 31,200 tonnes of wheat loaded in 346 covered wagons are awaiting registration certificates (RC) to cross borders, retention of wagons for such a long period is affecting the wagon supply of the Indian Railways.

RC is mandatory for export and without RC from DGFT, goods cannot cross borders.

Besides wheat, the covered wagons are required for transporting foodgrains and fertiliser also.

The railways has deployed maximum boxn wagons for carrying coal to power houses to facilitate maximum coal supply to tide over the crisis in the power sector. In fact, many passenger trains were cancelled to ensure uninterrupted coal supply.

According to sources, DGFT is in the process of issuing RC so that wheat rakes can reach Bangladesh.

The issue is expected to be sorted out soon and the RC would be issued shortly, sources added.