New Haryana hub to cut North India turnaround time by 4 hours: DTDC

Home-grown logistics major DTDC Express has recently launched its new DTDC Bharat One Hub in Rathiwas, Haryana, to strengthen its shipment movement across North India and reduce bottlenecks in its network. According to DTDC, the facility can accelerate shipment movement by up to four hours and enable one-day early turnaround time (TAT) on co-loaded shipments. In an interaction with The Economic Times Digital, Abhishek Chakraborty, CEO of DTDC Express, outlined the company’s latest investment in network infrastructure, the new hub’s role in reducing dependence on Delhi-NCR, and its rapid-commerce strategy to deepen engagement with India’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Edited excerpts:

ET: How significant is the Bharat One Hub investment?

Abhishek Chakraborty (AC): The Bharat One Hub is an investment in the future growth of our network. Located strategically at Rathiwas, the facility spans around 1.5 lakh sq. ft and has a peak processing capacity of 2,500 tonnes per day. The facility brings together advanced sorter systems, a multi-conveyor belt setup, hydraulic dock infrastructure, and digitally enabled operations. This allows us to consolidate freight more efficiently, improve dock utilisation, reduce manual intervention, and accelerate the movement of shipments through the network.


North India is a critical consumption and business corridor, with Delhi-NCR serving as a major gateway for movement across multiple markets. As shipment volumes grow, particularly from e-commerce, D2C, and organised retail, the ability to process and move freight quickly becomes increasingly important. This hub gives us additional capacity while also improving the flow of shipments across these corridors. It allows us to reduce bottlenecks, improve turnaround times, and create greater consistency in downstream movement.

ET. What specific network challenge was DTDC looking to address through the Bharat One Hub, and why was Rathiwas chosen as the location for the facility?

AC: The Bharat One Hub was built to address a very practical challenge in our North India network. Earlier, freight from across the region would often move to Delhi-NCR for offloading and consolidation. With the operational requirements and regulations in Delhi-NCR, this could add time to the shipment journey and impact turnaround time. The Bharat One Hub, strategically located at Rathiwas, allows us to process and consolidate freight closer to key North India corridors. This reduces dependence on Delhi-NCR, minimises unnecessary movement, and helps shipments move more efficiently through the network. For us, this is not just about adding capacity. It is about building a faster, more efficient and resilient network ready to support growing demand. The facility's ability to consolidate freight closer to these corridors also improves branch readiness through consolidated load movement and creates greater efficiency in downstream operations.

ET: As rapid commerce continues to reshape customer expectations around speed, how does the Bharat One Hub strengthen DTDC’s ability to support this evolving delivery ecosystem?

AC: Customer expectations have changed. People are no longer just asking, “Will my shipment reach me?” They are asking, “When will it reach me?” and expecting a reliable experience throughout the journey. Today, one in every six shipments in our network comes from e-commerce, while D2C, omnichannel, and rapid commerce continue to grow. At DTDC, we are responding through solutions like Raftaar, our rapid commerce offering for same-day and next-day deliveries, supported by a network of over 70 Dream Stores across the country.

But faster delivery starts with a strong network behind it. The Bharat One Hub strengthens our North India network through faster processing and movement of shipments, helping reduce turnaround time by up to four hours and enabling 1-day early TAT on co-loaded shipments. Ultimately, it is about building a network that can move faster, handle growing volumes, and keep pace with what customers expect today.

ET: What’s DTDC’s long-term vision for becoming the go-to logistics partner for India’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and new-age businesses, including start-ups?

AC: For an MSME or a start-up, logistics can often become a barrier to growth. They may have a great product, but reaching customers beyond their city or state can be challenging. We want to remove that complexity. Solutions such as DTDC’s self-onboarding portal allow businesses to come on board within 10 minutes and start shipping without having to go through a complicated process.

Our work with MSMEs also goes beyond technology. Today, we are helping artisans and small businesses take their products to a wider customer base. Our recent MoU with the Directorate of Industries, Government of Uttar Pradesh, on National Handloom Day was another important step towards connecting traditional businesses and artisans with a modern logistics ecosystem. When we talk about MSMEs, we also recognise that the logistics ecosystem itself includes thousands of small fleet owners and transport partners. They are entrepreneurs in their own right and an important part of the last-mile and middle-mile network. Our vision is to build an ecosystem where technology, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial partners come together to make logistics more accessible and scalable.

ET: DTDC has signed a few national and global partnerships in recent years. How are these partnerships helping DTDC expand its capabilities and create greater value?

AC: We see partnerships as an extension of our own capabilities. Logistics is an ecosystem business, and no single organisation can build the most efficient network by working in isolation. Our global partnerships with organisations like Geopost have helped us strengthen our international connectivity and give Indian businesses better access to global markets. This is particularly relevant today because Indian businesses, especially MSMEs, are increasingly looking beyond domestic markets.

For us, partnerships within India are equally important. Our MoU with India Post is a good example. India Post has an unparalleled reach across the country, particularly in the last mile. DTDC can complement that reach with its middle-mile capabilities. When these strengths come together, the customer ultimately benefits from a more connected logistics ecosystem.