PM Modi to Inaugurate Key Freight Corridors
WAREHOUSING & LOGISTICS

PM Modi to Inaugurate Key Freight Corridors

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a series of crucial railway projects, including pivotal sections of the dedicated freight corridors, on Tuesday. Among the projects set for the inauguration are the 401-kilometer stretch of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the 244-kilometer stretch of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), constructed at a combined cost of Rs 252.22 billion.

These corridors, built with substantial international investment, are integral to India's strategy to streamline logistics operations. Not only will they free up more rail capacity for passenger traffic, but they are also expected to alleviate congestion within the railway network.

The inauguration comes alongside the announcement of two new Vande Bharat Express trains in Karnataka and the completion of India's first vertical lift railway sea bridge, the Pamban Bridge, facilitating unique passage for ships and ferries.

Additionally, Jharkhand welcomes its third Vande Bharat Express, while Bihar witnesses the unveiling of two new Vande Bharat Express trains, among other railway projects.

During the inauguration, PM Modi will also flag off special freight trains from various stations along the corridors. With this, the EDFC will be fully operational, while the WDFC will be 81% completed, with hopes to finish the remaining sections by next March.

Despite the corridors' capacity to accommodate 240 trains per day, they are currently running at only 100-110 trains daily due to low demand from industries. However, officials from the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) express optimism about future demand.

Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director of Operations & Business Development at DFCCIL, stated, The infrastructure is almost ready. We are expecting the industries to assess the benefits of using the DFC network. The demand will pick up from the current levels.

The introduction of the freight corridors has significantly reduced transportation times, attracting industries. For instance, the time to transport coal from Eastern India to power plants in Northern and Western India has been slashed to below 20 hours from 35 hours previously.

Furthermore, the commissioning of the WDFC has halved the transportation time of container trains from Western Indian ports to Delhi NCR, providing a significant boost to the exports-imports industry.

DFCCIL officials emphasize the positive impact on Indian Railways, including the easing of pressure on existing tracks, enabling more passenger train services, and an expected increase in the railway's share of freight transportation from 25% to over 40%.

Despite facing delays since its inception in 2006, the project, funded through a blend of debt and equity, has persevered, overcoming hurdles such as land acquisition challenges.

The inauguration of these freight corridors marks a milestone in India's transportation infrastructure, promising to reshape logistics operations and bolster economic growth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a series of crucial railway projects, including pivotal sections of the dedicated freight corridors, on Tuesday. Among the projects set for the inauguration are the 401-kilometer stretch of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the 244-kilometer stretch of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), constructed at a combined cost of Rs 252.22 billion. These corridors, built with substantial international investment, are integral to India's strategy to streamline logistics operations. Not only will they free up more rail capacity for passenger traffic, but they are also expected to alleviate congestion within the railway network. The inauguration comes alongside the announcement of two new Vande Bharat Express trains in Karnataka and the completion of India's first vertical lift railway sea bridge, the Pamban Bridge, facilitating unique passage for ships and ferries. Additionally, Jharkhand welcomes its third Vande Bharat Express, while Bihar witnesses the unveiling of two new Vande Bharat Express trains, among other railway projects. During the inauguration, PM Modi will also flag off special freight trains from various stations along the corridors. With this, the EDFC will be fully operational, while the WDFC will be 81% completed, with hopes to finish the remaining sections by next March. Despite the corridors' capacity to accommodate 240 trains per day, they are currently running at only 100-110 trains daily due to low demand from industries. However, officials from the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) express optimism about future demand. Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director of Operations & Business Development at DFCCIL, stated, The infrastructure is almost ready. We are expecting the industries to assess the benefits of using the DFC network. The demand will pick up from the current levels. The introduction of the freight corridors has significantly reduced transportation times, attracting industries. For instance, the time to transport coal from Eastern India to power plants in Northern and Western India has been slashed to below 20 hours from 35 hours previously. Furthermore, the commissioning of the WDFC has halved the transportation time of container trains from Western Indian ports to Delhi NCR, providing a significant boost to the exports-imports industry. DFCCIL officials emphasize the positive impact on Indian Railways, including the easing of pressure on existing tracks, enabling more passenger train services, and an expected increase in the railway's share of freight transportation from 25% to over 40%. Despite facing delays since its inception in 2006, the project, funded through a blend of debt and equity, has persevered, overcoming hurdles such as land acquisition challenges. The inauguration of these freight corridors marks a milestone in India's transportation infrastructure, promising to reshape logistics operations and bolster economic growth.

Next Story
Equipment

Handling concrete better

Efficiently handling the transportation and placement of concrete is essential to help maintain the quality of construction, meet project timelines by minimising downtimes, and reduce costs – by 5 to 15 per cent, according to Sandeep Jain, Director, Arkade Developers. CW explores what the efficient handling of concrete entails.Select wellFirst, a word on choosing the right equipment, such as a mixer with a capacity aligned to the volume required onsite, from Vaibhav Kulkarni, Concrete Expert. “An overly large mixer will increase the idle time (and cost), while one that ..

Next Story
Real Estate

Elevated floors!

Raised access flooring, also called false flooring, is a less common interiors feature than false ceilings, but it has as many uses – if not more.A raised floor is a modular panel installed above the structural floor. The space beneath the raised flooring is typically used to accommodate utilities such as electrical cables, plumbing and HVAC systems. And so, raised flooring is usually associated with buildings with heavy cabling and precise air distribution needs, such as data centres.That said, CW interacted with designers and architects and discovered that false flooring can come in handy ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

The Variation Challenge

A variation or change in scope clause is defined in construction contracts to take care of situations arising from change in the defined scope of work. Such changes may arise due to factors such as additions or deletions in the scope of work, modifications in the type, grade or specifications of materials, alterations in specifications or drawings, and acts or omissions of other contractors. Further, ineffective planning, inadequate investigations or surveys and requests from the employer or those within the project’s area of influence can contribute to changes in the scope of work. Ext..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?