DPIIT Unveils Model City Logistics Plans For Delhi And Bengaluru

New Delhi, Nov 21 (KNN) The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has completed model city logistics plans (CLPs) for Delhi and Bengaluru, marking a significant step towards improving urban freight transportation and reducing logistics costs.

Developed through a collaborative effort with the Indo-German technical cooperation and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), these plans aim to address critical urban transportation challenges.

Additional Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur emphasised that the plans are comprehensive frameworks designed to provide strategic guidance for cities nationwide.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to streamline urban freight movement, with potential applications across multiple metropolitan areas.

Both Delhi and Karnataka governments have actively supported the development of these model logistics strategies.

The newly developed guidelines are intended to help cities create more efficient and sustainable urban freight ecosystems.

They offer a methodological approach that allows local authorities to customise logistics plans according to their specific urban characteristics, data analysis, and infrastructure requirements.

The DPIIT views this as an evolving document that will incorporate stakeholder feedback and continue to develop over time.

Aligned with India's National Logistics Policy launched in 2022, these city logistics plans are crucial for reducing logistics costs and improving urban freight transport efficiency.

The broader objective includes supporting the country's ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2070.

The approach draws inspiration from international best practices, with countries like Japan, Germany, France, and the Netherlands having successfully implemented similar urban logistics strategies.

Urban freight challenges in India are particularly complex, stemming from competition for road space, shared transportation networks, and the predominantly private-sector-controlled logistics operations.

The new CLPs aim to address these challenges by providing a holistic approach to city logistics planning, with a specific focus on first and last-mile freight movement, which has historically been a significant contributor to high logistics costs.

The initiative represents a paradigm shift from traditional ad-hoc urban transportation planning, offering a more strategic and comprehensive approach to managing urban freight systems.

As cities continue to grow and evolve, such targeted logistics planning will be critical in creating more sustainable, efficient, and liveable urban environments.

(KNN Bureau)