Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has operationalized its largest in-plant automobile railway siding at the Manesar manufacturing facility in Haryana. The project was inaugurated by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Green Logistics and Capacity
This is the company’s second such facility after the Gujarat plant and is part of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. The railway siding has been developed under the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC) project by Haryana Orbital Rail Corporation Ltd (HORCL)—a joint venture in which Maruti Suzuki holds a 13% stake. The automaker has invested a total of Rs 452 crore into the project, including Rs 127 crore for the internal yard development.
The new siding, spread over 46 acres, is fully electrified and includes four rake-length tracks, one engine escape line, and a total track length of 8.2 km. At full capacity, it can dispatch 4.5 lakh vehicles annually. MSIL estimates the facility will help avoid 1.75 lakh tonnes of CO? equivalent emissions and save up to 60 million litres of fuel every year.
This logistics initiative supports Maruti Suzuki’s goal of increasing its vehicle dispatch share by rail to 35% by FY2030-31. Since FY2014-15, the company has dispatched 25 lakh vehicles through Indian Railways. Vehicles from both the Gurugram and Manesar plants will be dispatched from this siding to 17 hubs covering 380 cities across India. Export hubs like Mundra and Pipavav ports will also be served.
Project Background
The 126 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor links Sonipat to Palwal and passes through Manesar. The total project cost of HORC is estimated at Rs 11,709 crore. Apart from Maruti Suzuki, other stakeholders include HRIDC, HSIIDC, GMDA, and All Cargo Logistics. The Manesar siding aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal on climate action and supports Maruti Suzuki’s roadmap to a cleaner and more efficient logistics network.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEOMaruti Suzuki India Limited said, “We are very happy that India’s largest automobile in-plant railway siding is inaugurated today at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar facility. We are deeply grateful to the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Union Minister for Railways and the Government of India’s focused implementation of seamless multi-modal connectivity promoting green logistics. Aligned to the PM’s GatiShakti National Master Plan, the company’s second in-plant railway siding facility signifies a landmark achievement in its green logistics journey. We are also highly thankful to Government of Haryana and Hon’ble Chief Minister for their timely support and guidance on this project.”
He added, “The project underscores our strong commitment to India’s Net Zero emissions target 2070. It will contribute to avoiding 175,000 tonne* of CO2e emissions, saving 60 million litre of fuel annually at full capacity, and reducing road congestion. Lowering carbon emissions remains a top priority at Maruti Suzuki and we aim to achieve this, by increasing the share of vehicle dispatches through railways to 35% by FY 2030-31.”
