The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and the Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR) have entered into a significant collaboration aimed at advancing research and development in logistics and supply chain management. This partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Professor Akshay Dvivedi, Dean of Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy at IIT Roorkee, and Ritu Narang, Senior General Manager (MIS) at CONCOR. Professor Amit Upadhyay from the Department of Management Studies at IIT Roorkee will play a crucial role in this initiative.
The strategic alliance between IIT Roorkee, a leading academic institution, and CONCOR, a key player in multimodal logistics services in India, seeks to drive innovation and research in logistics. This partnership is expected to focus on enhancing the efficiency of containerized freight movement, particularly along the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) of India’s extensive railway network.
As part of the MoU, IIT Roorkee will leverage its academic and research expertise to conduct a comprehensive Operations Research study. This research aims to optimize the loading of Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) on double-stack trains, thereby reducing rail haulage costs and improving inter-terminal movements at rail transshipment hubs. Additionally, the collaboration will work on developing an optimization-based decision support system for the efficient management of container trains across CONCOR’s network.
The MoU also includes initiatives to strengthen industry-academia ties. CONCOR will offer internships to IIT Roorkee students, providing them with practical experience in logistics operations. The partners will explore opportunities to establish jointly funded laboratory facilities and a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Roorkee, dedicated to advanced research in logistics and supply chain management. The collaboration will also feature specialized courses, workshops, hackathons, and exhibitions to enhance the skills of CONCOR employees and inspire future logistics professionals.
Sanjay Swarup, Chairman & Managing Director of CONCOR, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting IIT Roorkee’s academic excellence and innovative research capabilities. He emphasized that this collaboration aligns with CONCOR’s vision of improving logistics efficiency through advanced research and technology, and anticipates impactful outcomes that will benefit both CONCOR’s operations and the broader logistics sector in India.
Professor Kamal Kishore Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, underscored the importance of the partnership, noting that it bridges the gap between academia and industry. He highlighted IIT Roorkee’s commitment to research that addresses national infrastructure challenges and contributes to India’s development goals, particularly the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The MoU, effective for five years with potential renewal, represents a long-term commitment to fostering innovation and development in India’s logistics and supply chain management sectors.
Through this collaboration, IIT Roorkee aims to drive significant advancements in logistics infrastructure, reduce operational costs, and enhance efficiency, contributing to India’s aspiration to become a global leader in innovation and sustainable development by 2047.
