On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the final three segments of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) in Vadodara, which collectively span 326 kilometers and were developed at an investment exceeding Rs 20,700 crore.
These segments, located between Gujarat and Maharashtra—specifically New Sanand (N) to New Makarpura, New Umbergaon to New Saphale, and New Saphale to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT)—complete the entire 1,506-km WDFC, which extends from JNPT in Navi Mumbai to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, near Delhi.
The freight traffic along the western corridor primarily consists of ISO containers from JNPT and Mumbai Port in Maharashtra, along with Pipavav, Mundra, and Kandla ports in Gujarat. These containers are destined for Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in northern India, particularly at Tughlakabad in Delhi, Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, Dhandari Kalan in Punjab, and Khatuwas in Rajasthan. The corridor is also anticipated to facilitate the transport of various goods including fertilizers, food grains, salt, coal, iron, steel, and cement.
With the final segment of the WDFC operational—from Vaitarna (Saphale) to JNPT in Maharashtra—an increase in freight loading on the corridor is expected, bolstered by direct access to the JNPT.
In parallel, the 1,337-km Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) stretches from Ludhiana in Punjab to Sonnagar in Bihar, primarily serving coal and mineral traffic from eastern India. This corridor features an electrified double-line segment of 936 km between Sonnagar and Dadri, alongside a 401 km electrified single-track segment from Ludhiana (Sahnewal) to Khurja in Uttar Pradesh.
Completed in October 2023, the EDFC’s alignment is designed to avoid densely populated areas, including Mirzapur, Allahabad, Kanpur, Etawah, Firozabad, Tundla, Hathras, Aligarh, Hapur, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Ambala, Rajpura, Sirhind, Doraha, and Sahnewal.
These dedicated freight corridors represent some of the largest infrastructure initiatives undertaken by the Indian Railways. Presently, approximately 426 freight trains operate daily across both corridors.
Currently, rail transport accounts for around 27% of freight traffic, with the National Rail Plan aiming to elevate this figure to 45% by 2030, equating to 3,000 million tonnes. The Railways achieved a record loading of 1,670 million tonnes in the financial year 2025-26.
The separation of dedicated freight corridors from the passenger network allows for reduced transit times, lower costs, and improved last-mile connectivity in select regions.
Data from the Railways indicates that the average speed of trains on these dedicated corridors exceeds 50 km/h, which is twice the average speed of freight trains on the conventional network. In April and May, the average speeds recorded on the EDFC were 44.9 km/h and 44.7 km/h, while the WDFC saw speeds of 53.6 km/h and 52.3 km/h, respectively.
Freight revenue is vital for the Indian Railways, as it subsidizes passenger fares, contributing over 65% of the total earnings.
Previously, congestion on major trunk routes—Howrah-Delhi for the eastern corridor and Mumbai-Delhi for the western corridor—led to capacity utilizations ranging from 115% to 150%, resulting in a decline in freight traffic. This situation prompted the development of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) on both the eastern and western routes, designed to operate independently from passenger services. The significance of DFCs is underscored by the fact that the National Highways along these corridors, despite representing only 0.5% of the road network, account for nearly 40% of total road freight.
The DFC project was initially proposed during a Japan-India meeting in April 2005 and was incorporated into a cooperative agreement between the two nations. A feasibility study was completed in October 2007, leading to the establishment of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) to oversee the construction, operation, and maintenance of the corridors.
Financing for these projects was secured through loans from the World Bank (Rs 14,900 crore) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Rs 38,722 crore), with the remaining funds sourced from gross budgetary support.
This year, the government unveiled plans for a third corridor linking Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in Gujarat, with a detailed project report currently in the works.
Dheeraj Mishra serves as a Principal Correspondent with the Business Bureau of The Indian Express, focusing extensively on infrastructure sectors and their connectivity aspects across India.
His expertise encompasses two key ministries: the Ministry of Railways, where he monitors operations, safety, and development, and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, where he covers policies, infrastructure projects, and highway advancements.
Mishra distinguishes himself through his effective use of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in his reporting, ensuring accuracy and reliability by relying on official data and government records. This method has led to numerous significant reports that enhance accountability and transparency within public institutions.
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