Indications that the complex project is moving forward include the awarding of all construction contracts and the complete acquisition of the land for the two dedicated freight routes.
The Railway Ministry stated on Monday that 734 km of track on the Western DFC and 618 km of rail on the Eastern DFC have been commissioned in a report on the corridors’ progress.
According to a tweet from the ministry, up to 394 of the 543 main bridges have also been finished. 44,796 trains are currently in operation. 15.23 billion NTKM in freight load, according to the statement. Two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), the Eastern DFC and the Western DFC, have been approved by the government. By the end of June 2023, the two corridors should be finished. While the Western DFC is 1506 km long, the Eastern DFC is 1,337 km long. Ashwini Vaishnaw, the railway minister, stated last month that “both these routes are under implementation” and that now 1339 km of their 2,843 km total length have been completed.
As of June 30, 2022, the cumulative capital expenditure for the two DFCs’ construction was Rs. 91,882 crore. The two lines are anticipated to contribute to the separation of passenger and freight services, which will relieve congestion on the routes. Additionally, they would support the operation of freight trains that are longer, heavier, higher, and faster in order to increase transport production while reducing transit time and costs and so raise the modal share of railways.
