India’s largest container gateway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, is on track to achieve full rail connectivity to the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) by 31 March 2026, significantly strengthening cargo evacuation from the port.

The 1,506 km WDFC, stretching from JNPT to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, has reached an advanced stage of execution, with overall physical progress of around 93 per cent. Officials said work on the final and most critical section between JNPT and Vaitarna is now in its closing phase.

A recent high-level coordination meeting between the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority reviewed construction progress, signalling systems and associated infrastructure on the 102 km stretch. Successful electric locomotive trials on adjoining sections have further strengthened confidence in meeting the commissioning deadline within the current financial year.

Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to substantially enhance JNPT’s evacuation capacity, enabling the port to handle up to 100 freight trains a day, compared with the current average of about 27. This is expected to reduce reliance on road transport, ease congestion around Mumbai and deliver environmental benefits through lower emissions.

JNPT handles nearly 52 per cent of containerised cargo at India’s major ports, but railways currently account for only about 17–18 per cent of this volume. With the introduction of high-capacity and longer freight trains on the WDFC, rail’s share is projected to rise to 25–30 per cent.

At the national level, the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor has already been fully commissioned, while the Western corridor is expected to be completed during FY 2025–26. In parallel, detailed project reports have also been prepared for three additional freight corridors covering the East Coast, East–West and North–South routes.