Heavy rainfall in North & West India disrupts Industrial supply chains

New Delhi, July 17 (KNN) The Heavy rainfall and flooding in North and Western India has disrupted the transportation system, leading to interruptions in the Industrial supply chains.

Pathik Patwari, past president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), shed light on the situation, stating, “The logistics network connecting northern and western India has been severely affected, resulting in extended turnaround times for shipments.”

“Flooding has caused difficulties in unloading vehicles, and cargo has accumulated at ports. Industries are facing a challenging situation due to the dwindling inventory of raw materials.”

Patwari further highlighted the supply chain issues faced by pharmaceutical industries in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, adding to the overall challenges in North India. The disruption caused by flooded roads and highways in northern India has wholly paralyzed the logistics network.

The northern states of India are home to more than 400 MSME pharmaceutical companies, making a significant contribution to the domestic market. In Himachal, the pharmaceutical units have also been impacted due to the ongoing heavy rains and flooding.

Viranchi Shah, the president of the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), said, “There might be a short-term local impact on the supply chain due to the heavy rains, but there will be minimal impact on the availability of medicines. The situation will normalize soon.”

Although several companies have relocated to Gujarat following the Goods and Services Tax rollout, many pharmaceutical firms continue to operate in the hilly state to cater to the domestic market.

Gaurang Bhagat, president of the Maskati Cloth Market Association, said, “Due to the floods, the textiles and chemicals industries based in Gujarat are facing significant challenges in delivering their products to the northern states”

Ankit Patel, chairman of Chemexcil north region, said, “The chemicals industry in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh has not witnessed a significant impact of the rain. However, transportation disruptions have resulted in a delay of around 10 days in deliveries, as trucks are stuck. The chemical industry in Gujarat serves the National Capital Region (NCR), so the overall impact beyond that area is relatively minor.”  (KNN Bureau)