The Directorate of Industries and Commerce (I&C), Jammu, and Northern Railway's Jammu Division convened a high-level coordination meeting in Jammu to chart out a more integrated logistics and supply chain system for the region, with the proceedings reported on November 1–2, 2026 . The meeting brought together senior government officials, railway policymakers, and industry representatives to deliberate on improving freight transportation, enhancing railway connectivity, and addressing logistical challenges faced by local manufacturers, traders, and industrial establishments .
The primary objective was to establish stronger institutional coordination between the I&C Department, local manufacturing units, and Indian Railways, ensuring that the region's growing industrial requirements are supported by modern and reliable transportation infrastructure . The discussions were co-chaired by Dr. Arun Manhas, Director of I&C Jammu, and Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Jammu Division, who directly engaged with business leaders to resolve operational bottlenecks .
The deliberations were explicitly aligned with the objectives of the National Logistics Policy (NLP), which seeks to reduce logistics costs, improve operational efficiency, promote multimodal transportation, and enhance business competitiveness across the country . Both departments outlined how future cargo terminals, dedicated industrial sidings, and paperless digital tracking systems would be integrated with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan to ensure seamless last-mile connectivity for regional manufacturing hubs .
Key industrial priorities were presented by Tarun Singla, President of the Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA), alongside General Managers of District Industries Centres from Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, and Jammu, as well as major logistics operators . The participation of these stakeholders underscored the practical focus of the meeting—translating policy objectives into operational solutions for the region's industrial corridors.
Railway officials used the platform to detail specific freight initiatives already underway. Singhal highlighted the JPP-RCS scheme, under which aggregators or traders booking parcel coaches round-trip receive a 50% discount on the return leg, effectively paying only 1.5 times the standard single-way freight . He also provided insights into the Indian Railways Transhipment Policy and the nationwide Roll-On/Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) Traffic Policy implemented in August 2026, which transports loaded commercial trucks on specialized rail flat wagons with a distance-wise tapering freight structure rather than traditional per-wagon billing .
The meeting builds on prior engagement between Jammu's industry bodies and Northern Railway. In May 2026, the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Jammu Chapter had raised issues including daytime scheduling of freight rakes due to labour constraints, extension of unloading time from seven hours to 24 hours, and early operationalization of the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Samba . The October coordination meeting represents an institutionalization of that dialogue, moving from ad hoc grievance-raising to structured planning.
For Jammu's industrial hubs—particularly Bari Brahmana, Samba, and Kathua—the outcomes of this coordination could meaningfully reduce transit times and logistics costs. The region has historically depended on road transport for freight movement, with rail infrastructure underutilized for industrial cargo. By aligning cargo terminals, industrial sidings, and digital tracking with PM GatiShakti, the plan aims to shift a greater share of freight onto rail and create a more reliable transport backbone for the Union Territory's economic growth .