Railways are the cheapest mode of cargo transport in India at ₹1.96 per tonne-km, according to a study by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Waterways follow at ₹2.30, road transport at ₹3.78 and airways at ₹72. The report titled 'Assessment of Logistics Cost in India' is prepared by National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).