Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two sections of dedicated freight corridors (DFCs) in quick succession in December 2020 and January 2021. Immediately after, videos of kilometres long double-stack container trains chugging on the new lines emerged on social media handles of Ministry of Railways and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. The trains hit top speed of 93 km per hour and average speed of 67 km per hour as against 23 km per hour clocked by a normal goods train in India.
The new lines — 351-km KhurjaBhaupur section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and 306-km Rewari-Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) — are barely 20 per cent of the corridor. The 1,875-km EDFC will connect Ludhiana in Punjab with Dankuni in West Bengal. WDFC is a 1,506-km corridor between Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai. The much-awaited project has seen multiple delays over the years due to land acquisition and other issues.
The entire project, stretching 3,381 kms, however, still has a long way to go. The two completed sections, spanning 650 kms, are less than one-fifth of the total length, surprising for a project that has been under construction for more than a decade and a half. Meeting the latest deadline of June 2022 — the original date of FY18-end was revised to March 2020 and then to December 2021 — is a tall order considering the stage at which the project is at present.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY
BREATHE EASY
Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference
The Taste of India in a Glass
FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
IN 2025, INVESTORS WILL NEED TO FACTOR IN VOLATILITY ACROSS ASSET CLASSES
MISSING ADVISORS
INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE
TURNING A CORNER
SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE
REALITY CHECK
INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more
