With the first leg of the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) to be operationalised by 2018, the Railway Ministry has decided to further expand the DFC network considering that this would be the only solution to make available faster passengers as well as freight trains in the country. Railways will seek the Cabinet’s approval for arranging funds and acquiring land for the three new dedicated corridors.
The proposed new routes are the 2,327-km long East — West Corridor connecting Kolkata to Mumbai, the 2,328- km long North — South Corridor linking Delhi with Chennai and the 1,114 km long East Coast Corridor from Kharagpur to Vijaywada. Railway Budget 2016-17 has proposed the total 5,769-km long track comprising three more dedicated freight corridors in the country to ensure faster movement of goods.
DFCC Managing Director Aadesh Sharma said RITES has undertaken the preliminary engineering and
traffic system study of the proposed three new routes to ascertain the traffic projection and the report has been submitted to railways.
The first section of 56-km long track between Durgawati and Sasaram is expected to be operational for regular freight operation in July after getting Commissioner Railway Safety clearances. While railways will earn revenue from freight movement on the dedicated corridors, DFCC will earn access charge which is about 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the revenue earnings.
DFC envisages carrying 13,000 tons with average speed of 75 km per hour as compared to the present load capacity of 5,000 tons with the average speed of 25 km per hour.
With an aim to meet its target, DFC has stepped up awarding contracts for speedy execution of the project in both Eastern and Western corridors. Contracts worth Rs9,700 crore being finalised to be awarded by July this year while contracts worth Rs26,078 crore were finalised during the last two years, Sharma said at a Press conference.
The Rs91,459 crore project envisages the construction of total 3,342-km long track for the exclusive movement of freight in a faster and environment-friendly way.
Sharma further said the work on DFC is on the track and currently civil work is progressing in 2,138 km while signalling and electrical work is going on at 1,786 km route.
The Eastern corridor with a route length of 1,840 km connects ludhiana with Dankuni, the Western corridor comprising 1,502-km line starts from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to Dadri.