WDFC JNPT segment would be finished by October: Report

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) plans to complete the last section of the western dedicated freight corridor (WDFC) by October 2025, completing the enormous corridor project before its planned commissioning in December. DFCCIL will have finished building the 1,504-kilometer WDFC, which connects Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT in Navi Mumbai, once the Vaitarna–JNPT segment is ready.

On April 27, a successful speed trial on the 75-kilometer New Umbergaon Road–New Saphale segment marked the start of Maharashtra’s first phase of dedicated freight corridor operations. With track, overhead equipment (OHE), signaling, and telecommunications systems, this line is completely prepared. Following the railway board’s clearance, this line will be active. The official was cited as adding, “The land has been acquired on the remaining 32 km stretch, and the track linking work is currently under way.” Due to executional issues, WDFC’s initial commissioning date of March 2025 was postponed to December.

The monsoon may have an impact on the pace of the last stage of building, according to experts quoted in the FE story. Both corridors are expected to reduce freight traffic congestion, lower logistics costs, and improve operational efficiency, with EDFC already put into service in 2024. DFCs already handle 14% of all freight traffic on the rail network, although making up only 4% of Indian Railways’ whole network.

Regular Indian Railways freight trains average between 18 and 20 kmph, whereas DFC trains average between 55 and 60 kmph. DFCs are becoming a lucrative source of income for Indian Railways, even though passenger services are losing money. Praveen Kumar, the MD of DFCCIL, previously stated that the cost of these two corridors is Rs 1.24 lakh crore, with a 9% financial rate of return, according to the FE report. While EDFC connects eastern coal fields to northern power plants in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan, WDFC mostly transports container cargo together with imported coal, fertilizers, and food grains.