IIT Roorkee and CONCOR Forge Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Logistics through Research and Innovation

Roorkee, Uttarakhand, August 17, 2024: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee and Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR) have formalized a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance research and development in logistics and supply chain management. The MoU was signed by Prof. Akshay Dvivedi, Dean Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy on behalf of IIT Roorkee and Smt. Ritu Narang, Senior General Manager (MIS) on behalf of CONCOR. Prof. Amit Upadhyay, in the Department of Management Studies at IIT Roorkee, has a significant role in this collaboration and shall be actively involved in all related research work.

The collaboration between IIT Roorkee, a premier academic institution of national importance, and CONCOR, a leader in multimodal logistics services in India, aims to foster research, innovation, and capacity-building initiatives. The partnership is set to develop cutting-edge optimization models to enhance the efficiency of containerized freight movement across India's extensive railway network, particularly focusing on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC).

Under this MoU, IIT Roorkee will apply its academic and research prowess to conduct an in-depth Operations Research study. This study aims to optimize the loading of Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) on double-stack trains, ultimately reducing container rail haulage costs and improving inter-terminal movements through rail transhipment hubs. The collaboration will also involve developing an optimization-based decision support system for the efficient movement of container trains across CONCOR's network.

Additionally, the MoU outlines several initiatives to foster industry-academia collaboration. CONCOR will provide internships for IIT Roorkee students, offering them hands-on experience with real-world logistics operations. Both parties will explore opportunities to establish jointly funded lab facilities and a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Roorkee, focusing on advanced research and development in logistics and supply chain management. Furthermore, the partnership will facilitate specialized courses, workshops, hackathons, and exhibitions, aimed at enhancing the skill sets of CONCOR employees and inspiring the next generation of logistics professionals.

Sanjay Swarup, Chairman & Managing Director of CONCOR, stated, “We are thrilled to partner with IIT Roorkee, an institution known for its academic excellence and innovative research. This collaboration aligns with CONCOR’s vision to enhance logistics efficiency through advanced research and technology. We look forward to the impactful outcomes of this partnership, which will not only benefit our operations but also contribute to the advancement of India’s logistics sector.”

Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, remarked on the importance of the collaboration, stating, "Our partnership with CONCOR represents a significant step toward bridging the gap between academia and industry. At IIT Roorkee, we are committed to pioneering research that directly impacts national infrastructure and development. This collaboration will enable us to apply our academic strengths to real-world challenges, further solidifying our role as a leader in innovation and research. Through several research initiatives and strategic partnerships, we aim to optimize logistics infrastructure, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency across India, contributing significantly to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and positioning India as a global leader in sustainable development."

The MoU will be effective for five years, with the possibility of renewal upon mutual agreement. Both IIT Roorkee and CONCOR are committed to building a long-term relationship that will drive innovation, research, and development in India's logistics and supply chain management.

Through several research initiatives and strategic partnerships like this, IIT Roorkee is not only advancing innovation in logistics but also significantly contributing to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. By harnessing its academic strengths and fostering industry collaborations, IIT Roorkee is developing cutting-edge solutions to optimize India's logistics infrastructure, reduce operational costs, and enhance overall efficiency. These efforts underscore the institute’s dedication to playing a crucial role in shaping a prosperous and technologically advanced India by 2047, in alignment with the nation’s aspiration to emerge as a global leader in innovation and sustainable development.