Dedicated Freight Corridor: Transforming freight transportation infra

14 Jul 2023 CW Team

The Dedicated Freight Corridor Project involves the construction of two major freight corridors: the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). These corridors are expected to be fully operational by a specified timeframe.

Nanduri Srinivas, the Director of Operations and Business Development at the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL), discusses the significance of this transformative project in a recent episode of TOI Business Bytes. He highlights the key details of the dedicated freight corridor projects, including their timelines and the positive impact of dedicated freight lines on regular Indian Railways lines.

Srinivas explains that trains operating on the DFCs are currently achieving an average speed of 60 kmph, significantly faster than the 25 kmph on regular railway lines, which prioritise passenger train movement over freight. He further illustrates how the dedicated freight corridors have substantially reduced transportation time for various commodities, such as coal and perishable goods, resulting in cost savings for end-to-end logistics.

Moreover, from an industry perspective, the implementation of dedicated freight lines by the railways has helped decrease the inventory stock requirement for commodities like coal at power plants, as mentioned by Srinivas. He also emphasises the introduction of Gati Shakti terminals and private sector involvement in freight terminals along the dedicated freight corridors, which will enhance the efficiency of freight transportation and enable the railways to explore new avenues for transporting different types of commodities.

To learn more about the dedicated freight corridor projects, their completion timelines, and the associated benefits, please watch the video above. This project is poised to revolutionise the Indian Railways infrastructure and bring about substantial improvements in freight transportation efficiency.

The Indian Railways is currently undertaking the ambitious Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) projects to enhance the rail's share in the country's overall freight transportation. The primary objective of the National Rail Plan is to increase the modal share of railways from 28 per cent to 44 per cent by the year 2051.The Dedicated Freight Corridor Project involves the construction of two major freight corridors: the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). These corridors are expected to be fully operational by a specified timeframe.Nanduri Srinivas, the Director of Operations and Business Development at the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL), discusses the significance of this transformative project in a recent episode of TOI Business Bytes. He highlights the key details of the dedicated freight corridor projects, including their timelines and the positive impact of dedicated freight lines on regular Indian Railways lines.Srinivas explains that trains operating on the DFCs are currently achieving an average speed of 60 kmph, significantly faster than the 25 kmph on regular railway lines, which prioritise passenger train movement over freight. He further illustrates how the dedicated freight corridors have substantially reduced transportation time for various commodities, such as coal and perishable goods, resulting in cost savings for end-to-end logistics.Moreover, from an industry perspective, the implementation of dedicated freight lines by the railways has helped decrease the inventory stock requirement for commodities like coal at power plants, as mentioned by Srinivas. He also emphasises the introduction of Gati Shakti terminals and private sector involvement in freight terminals along the dedicated freight corridors, which will enhance the efficiency of freight transportation and enable the railways to explore new avenues for transporting different types of commodities.To learn more about the dedicated freight corridor projects, their completion timelines, and the associated benefits, please watch the video above. This project is poised to revolutionise the Indian Railways infrastructure and bring about substantial improvements in freight transportation efficiency.

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

GAIL to Set Up Bengaluru CBG Plant Under New Concession Pact

GAIL (India) Limited has signed a 20-year concession agreement with the Bengaluru City Municipal Corporation (BBMP) to set up a compressed biogas (CBG) plant in the city. The project, expected to produce around 10 tonnes of CBG daily, will utilise municipal solid waste as feedstock, contributing to clean energy generation and efficient waste management. The CBG produced will be used in GAIL’s City Gas Distribution network to promote cleaner fuel usage. The initiative aligns with the government’s Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme and GAIL’s broader ..

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

Uttarakhand HC Lifts 31-Year Ban on ONGC’s Contractual Hiring

The Uttarakhand High Court has lifted a 31-year-old ban on the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from hiring contractual workers, a restriction imposed in 1993. The decision enables ONGC’s Dehradun establishment to employ personnel on a contractual basis to meet operational requirements. The long-standing prohibition had limited ONGC’s ability to fill vacancies in its technical and administrative departments, often leading to project delays and higher dependence on outsourcing. With the court’s directive, the public sector enterprise can now proceed with temporary recruitments whil..

Infrastructure Energy

23 Oct 2025

JSW Energy’s Utkal Unit Bags 400 MW, 25-Year Power Supply Deal

JSW Energy Limited announced that its subsidiary, JSW Energy (Utkal) Limited, has secured a Letter of Award (LoA) from Karnataka’s Power Company of Karnataka Limited (PCKL) for the supply of 400 MW of electricity for 25 years. The agreement is part of a competitive bidding process for long-term procurement of power to meet the state’s growing energy demand. The 400 MW capacity will be supplied from JSW Energy’s upcoming thermal power project in Odisha. This development strengthens JSW Energy’s presence in the southern market and aligns with its strategy to enhance long-term contracte..