An exclusive conversation with DFCCIL MD Praveen Kumar on transforming rail logistics, strengthening connectivity and accelerating economic growth

The Dedicated Freight Corridors represent one of India's most ambitious railway infrastructure programmes. How would you assess DFCCIL's progress and impactso far?

The Dedicated Freight Corridors are far more than a railway infrastructure project, they represent a transformational shift in the way India moves goods. I firmly believe that this is one of the most significant infrastructure initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Railways since Independence.

For decades, freight and passenger trains shared the same network, creating capacity constraints that affected efficiency across the logistics ecosystem. The Dedicated Freight Corridors were conceived to change that paradigm.

Today, as the network has become operational across almost its entire planned length, we are witnessing a fundamental shift. Freight trains are moving faster, carrying heavier loads, adhering to more predictable schedules, and connecting industries, ports, and consumption centres with greater efficiency. This is not just improving rail operations; it is helping businesses optimise inventory, reduce transit uncertainty, and lower logistics costs.

What gives me the greatest satisfaction is that the impact extends well beyond transportation. Every additional train that shifts from road to rail means lower fuel consumption, reduced carbon emissions, and safer, more sustainable freight movement. At the same time, by moving freight to dedicated corridors, we are also freeing capacity on the conventional railway network, enabling Indian Railways to improve passenger services.

Going forward, our focus is to maximise the economic value of this infrastructure. Through greater industry participation, multimodal connectivity, Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, and customer-centric freight solutions, we aim to make the Dedicated Freight Corridor not just a railway network, but the backbone of a more efficient, competitive, and sustainable logistics ecosystem for India.

How are the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors transforming freight movement, transit times and supply-chain efficiency across the country?

The Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors are redefining the way freight moves across India. They have transformed rail freight from a capacity-constrained mode of transport into a reliable, high-performance logistics backbone that industries can confidently build their supply chains around.

Since the DFC network began operations, it has operated over 5.07 lakh freight trains. In FY 2025-26 alone, 1.48 lakh trains were operated, carrying 203 million GTKM of freight.

Although the Dedicated Freight Corridor network accounts for only about 4% of the total Indian Railways network, it today handles approximately 14% of India's total rail freight traffic. This demonstrates the strategic importance of the corridors in strengthening the country's logistics backbone and improving freight efficiency.

One of the most visible outcomes has been the significant reduction in transit time. On key routes, container traffic is now reaching its destination nearly 50% faster, while coal movement has seen transit times reduced by around 60%. Faster turnaround means lower inventory costs, improved asset utilisation, and more responsive supply chains. For sectors such as manufacturing, energy, ports, and logistics, these efficiencies translate directly into enhanced competitiveness.

Businesses today value predictability as much as speed. Dedicated freight operations minimise congestion and scheduling uncertainties, allowing customers to plan production, warehousing, and distribution with much greater confidence.

To what extent can the freight corridors help India reduce its logistics costs and become more competitive in global manufacturing and exports?

Reducing logistics costs is not merely about making transportation cheaper, it is about making the entire economy more efficient, predictable, and globally competitive. That is precisely where the Dedicated Freight Corridors have a transformative role to play.

India's aspiration to become a global manufacturing and export hub depends on the ability to move goods quickly, reliably, and at competitive costs. Manufacturers today compete not only on product quality but also on the efficiency of their supply chains. Every hour saved in transit, every reduction in inventory holding, and every improvement in delivery reliability enhances India's competitiveness in global markets.

The Dedicated Freight Corridors address these challenges by creating a high-capacity, high-speed freight rail network that enables faster transit, higher axle loads, longer trains, and reliable operations. This allows industries to optimise inventory, reduce warehousing requirements, improve wagon and container turnaround, and plan production with greater confidence. The result is a more resilient and cost-efficient supply chain.

Equally important is the ecosystem that is developing around the corridors. Through multimodal connectivity, Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals, industrial clusters, ports, and logistics parks, the DFCs are creating seamless freight movement from manufacturing centres to domestic markets and export gateways. This integration is critical for reducing end-to-end logistics costs rather than simply lowering transportation costs.

At DFCCIL, we see ourselves not merely as a railway infrastructure company but as an enabler of economic growth. The Dedicated Freight Corridors are laying the foundation for a logistics ecosystem that is faster, more reliable, and globally competitive. As freight volumes grow and the logistics network around the corridors continues to expand, their contribution to India's manufacturing strength, export competitiveness, and long-term economic development will become even more significant.

What growth has DFCCIL witnessed in freight volumes, train speeds and operational efficiency, and what targets have been set for the next three to five years?

The growth DFCCIL has witnessed over the past few years reinforces our belief that world-class infrastructure, when combined with efficient operations, can fundamentally transform freight transportation.

As more sections of the Dedicated Freight Corridors became operational, we saw a corresponding increase in freight volumes and customer confidence. Since the network began operations, DFCCIL has operated over 5.07 lakh freight trains, carrying 658 billion Gross Tonne Kilometres (GTKM) of freight. In FY 2025-26 alone, we operated 1.48 lakh trains and moved 203 million tonnes of freight. Today, despite constituting only about 4% of the Indian Railways network, the Dedicated Freight Corridors handle approximately 14% of the country's total rail freight traffic.

However, our focus has never been on numbers alone. The real achievement lies in providing industries with a logistics network they can rely upon-one that offers speed, certainty, safety, and consistency.

Looking ahead, the next three to five years will be about unlocking the full economic potential of the Dedicated Freight Corridors. Our priority is to increase freight throughput by attracting new traffic streams, strengthen multimodal connectivity through Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals and logistics parks, enhance digitalisation and customer-centric services, and maximise asset utilisation across the network.

Operationally, the Dedicated Freight Corridors have delivered significant improvements. Freight trains can operate at speeds of up to 100 kmph, enabling much faster and more predictable movement of cargo. Also with higher axle loads, longer trains, and dedicated freight operations have substantially improved asset utilisation and network productivity. We also see tremendous opportunities in expanding rail's share in the national freight basket by encouraging a greater modal shift from road to rail. As India's economy grows and manufacturing and exports gather momentum, DFCCIL will continue to serve as a catalyst for building a logistics ecosystem that is faster, more reliable, and globally competitive.

How is DFCCIL connecting ports, industrial corridors, logistics parks and manufacturing centres to create a seamless multimodal freight network?

We see the Dedicated Freight Corridors not merely as railway infrastructure, but as catalysts for economic activity and regional development. Our objective is to ensure that the economic benefits of the DFC network extend beyond the movement of freight and create new centres of commerce, industry and logistics along the corridors. The WDFC and EDFC together have 115 stations (49 on the WDFC and 66 on the EDFC) and we envision these stations evolving from points through which trains pass into centres of economic activity, attracting logistics, warehousing, and allied businesses around them.

The strategic location of these stations provides an opportunity to connect industrial clusters, logistics parks, manufacturing centres and ports with reliable, high-capacity freight rail. The development of Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals and other rail-linked logistics facilities will further strengthen these economic nodes by enabling cargo aggregation, storage, handling and distribution. This creates an ecosystem in which industries can locate closer to efficient freight infrastructure, logistics operators can develop new facilities, and businesses can access markets and ports more efficiently.

Our larger vision is to create a virtuous cycle of infrastructure and economic growth. Better freight connectivity attracts industry; industrial activity generates cargo; increased cargo creates demand for logistics and warehousing; and this, in turn, generates further investment and employment around the DFC network. With connectivity to major ports and industrial corridors, the DFCs can also strengthen India's domestic supply chains and export-oriented manufacturing by providing faster and more reliable access to markets.

Therefore, the real measure of the DFC's success will not only be the number of trains we operate, but the economic activity that develops around the network. We want the 115 DFC stations to become gateways to investment, enterprise and employment-transforming the corridors into engines of regional development and a powerful economic backbone for a more competitive and connected India.

What role are artificial intelligence, predictive maintenance, advanced signalling and realtime cargo tracking playing in improving operational efficiency and safety?

Technology is at the core of DFCCIL's operational philosophy. As India's Dedicated Freight Corridor network evolves into a high-capacity freight backbone, we are leveraging artificial intelligence, predictive maintenance, advanced signalling and digital technologies to enhance safety, reliability and operational efficiency.

DFCCIL has deployed advanced systems such as the Machine Vision Inspection System (MVIS), which uses AI-enabled image analytics and high-speed cameras to inspect rolling stock components while trains are in motion. This enables early identification of defects, reduces manual dependency and supports predictive maintenance. Similarly, Hot Axle Box Detectors (HABD) monitor axle bearing temperatures to prevent failures, while Wheel Impact Load Detectors (WILD) identify abnormal wheel conditions, ensuring safer train operations. The Intelligent Remote Monitoring System (IRMS) is a trackside and wayside monitoring system that continuously monitors the health of rolling stock and forms part of the Signalling & Telecommunication (S&T) ecosystem. It utilises S&T infrastructure for data transmission, control-room integration, interlocking interfaces, and communication with train crews and controllers. In addition, Kavach is being deployed on DFCCIL corridors as a core safety system to automatically monitor train movement, enforce signals and speed limits, and intervene when required to help prevent collisions and overspeeding on critical freight routes.

We are also leveraging the Digital Freight Information System (DFIS platform for real-time monitoring of train operations, enabling improved decision-making, better coordination and enhanced customer visibility. 

Going forward, the introduction of MVIS Plus will further strengthen automated inspection capabilities by integrating multiple diagnostic functions and advanced analytics. Combined with advanced signalling systems and a fully electrified high-capacity network, these technologies are transforming freight operations from reactive maintenance to predictive asset management, ensuring safer, faster and more reliable freight movement.

How is DFCCIL encouraging private-sector participation and attracting new categories of freight traditionally transported by road?

At DFCCIL, we recognise that increasing the share of rail in India's freight movement requires not only expanding rail capacity but also creating an ecosystem in which private industry finds rail an efficient, reliable and commercially viable alternative to road transport. A major step in this direction is our Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy, particularly Schedule-1, which enables private developers to establish cargo terminals on their own land and connect them directly with the Dedicated Freight Corridor network, while Schedule-2 facilitates development of GCTs on DFCCIL land through private participation. This provides an opportunity for logistics companies, manufacturers and other freight-generating industries to invest in rail-linked infrastructure and become active partners in expanding India's rail freight ecosystem.

New Sanjali GCT in Gujarat, developed by Sawariya Shakti Railway Carriage LLP, is a landmark example. It is India's first private GCT developed on private land under Schedule-1 and integrates rail infrastructure with an ICD, warehouses, cold storage and connectivity to industrial clusters and major ports. Such terminals bring the railway closer to the customer and address one of the key requirements for shifting freight from road to rail-seamless first- and last-mile connectivity.

We are also focusing on new categories of freight that have traditionally relied heavily on road transportation. The Trucks-on-Train (ToT) service between New Palanpur and New Rewari is an important initiative in this regard. It allows road vehicles themselves to be transported by rail, combining the flexibility of road-based collection and delivery with the efficiency of dedicated freight rail over the long-haul segment. Similarly, the High-Speed Small Cargo Service between New Sanand North and New Rewari is designed to provide a faster and more reliable rail option for smaller consignments that may traditionally move by road. Separately, the Joint Parcel Product - Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) is proposed to be introduced between New Ancheli and New Dadri.

Our approach is therefore to make rail freight customer-centric, flexible and accessible, rather than limiting it to conventional bulk commodities. The objective is not simply to run more freight trains, but to make rail the preferred mode for a much wider range of cargo-strengthening India's logistics competitiveness while creating a more efficient and sustainable freight system.

Sustainability is becoming central to infrastructure development. What measurable environmental benefits are being achieved by shifting freight from roads to dedicated railway corridors?

Sustainability is embedded in the very design and operation of the Dedicated Freight Corridors. DFCCIL operates entirely on electric traction, making the DFC network a significantly cleaner and more energy-efficient mode for long-haul freight transportation. The corridors enable large volumes of cargo to be moved with substantially lower energy consumption and emissions compared with conventional road-based transportation. The DFC network has an exceptionally low carbon intensity of approximately 11.5 grams of CO? per tonne-kilometre, reflecting the environmental efficiency of electrified rail freight.

Importantly, the DFC network is designed as a long-term net-zero carbon infrastructure asset, with its electrification providing a strong foundation for progressively reducing the carbon footprint of freight movement as India's power generation mix becomes increasingly renewable. Over the next 30 years, the DFC network is projected to reduce approximately 450-457 million tonnes of CO? emissions through the shift of freight from road to rail and the efficiency of dedicated electrified freight operations.

The environmental gains become particularly significant when viewed at the scale of India's freight requirements. By facilitating a shift from road to rail, the DFCs can reduce dependence on diesel-powered road transportation, thereby lowering fuel consumption, greenhouse-gas emissions, air pollution and congestion on highways. The dedicated infrastructure also improves operational efficiency by reducing stoppages and enabling freight trains to operate at higher speeds and with greater payloads, further improving the energy efficiency of every tonne of cargo transported.

Looking beyond the Eastern and Western corridors, what is your vision for expanding India's dedicated freight corridor network and positioning the country as a global logistics hub?

The successful completion and commissioning of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (Ludhiana-Sonnagar, 1,337 km) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (Dadri-JNPT, 1,506 km) have established the foundation for a transformative freight ecosystem in India.

Looking ahead, the proposed East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor, connecting Surat to Dankuni over approximately 2,316 km, will further strengthen national freight connectivity by linking major industrial clusters, mining regions, manufacturing centres and ports across six states.

Our vision is to develop an integrated, technology-driven freight corridor network that complements the objectives of PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and supports multimodal logistics growth. With dedicated freight infrastructure, private cargo terminals, multimodal logistics parks and digital freight solutions, India can achieve faster movement of goods, reduced logistics costs and enhanced supply chain resilience.

These corridors will serve as a backbone for India's economic growth, strengthening its position as a globally competitive manufacturing and logistics hub.