The Ministry of Railways advances freight capacity with DFC completion, modernization, and enhanced logistics infrastructure.
The Ministry of Railways has made significant strides in enhancing India’s freight infrastructure, with the construction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) nearing completion. The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) from Ludhiana to Sonnagar (1337 km) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri (1506 km) now boast 96.4% operational capacity, covering 2741 route kilometers out of a total of 2843 km. Work on the remaining sections is underway.
New Dedicated Freight Corridors under review
The Ministry is also preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for three new DFCs:
- East-Coast Corridor: Kharagpur to Vijayawada
- East-West Corridor: Palghar-Bhusawal-Nagpur-Kharagpur-Dankuni and Rajkharsawan-Kalipahari-Andal
- North-South Sub-corridor: Vijayawada-Nagpur-Itarsi
These DPRs are currently under examination, with project sanction pending assessment of technical feasibility, financial viability, traffic demand, and funding options.
Positive impact on logistics
The DFC project is set to revolutionise transportation and logistics by enabling the movement of Double Stack Container (DSC) trains and higher axle load trains. This will expedite northern hinterland access via western ports, spur industrial development along the corridors, and reduce logistic costs. Freight traffic has already surged, with average daily trains increasing from 247 in 2023-24 to 352 in 2024-25 (till February 2025).
Railway modernization and safety enhancements
Indian Railways is also undertaking several modernisation projects:
- Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): Introduced in 2017-18 with a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore over five years, extended for another term with a ₹45,000 crore GBS support. An outlay of ₹12,800 crore has been allocated for 2024-25.
- Signaling Systems: Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems implemented at 6623 stations, with interlocking at 11,089 Level Crossing Gates.
- Automatic Train Protection (ATP): The indigenous “Kavach” system has been adopted as the National ATP system since July 2020.
- Freight Locomotives: Introduction of 12,000 HP and 9,000 HP electric locomotives to enhance freight operations, with a manufacturing unit established at Dahod.
- Wagon Modernization: Adoption of modern open wagons, brake vans, and multi-purpose high-capacity wagons designed for better rolling stock utilization.
Freight capacity expansion
The launch of the “Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT)” policy in December 2021 aims to increase industry investment in rail cargo terminals. To date, 97 GCTs have been commissioned, with 277 additional proposals approved in principle.
Financial performance
Between 2019 and 2024, Indian Railways transported 6952.3 million tonnes of freight, generating revenue of ₹7,02,372.29 crore.
Through these initiatives, Indian Railways continues its journey towards modernization, enhanced safety, and greater efficiency in handling freight, marking a new era in India’s railway infrastructure development.
Source: PIB
