By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi: Indian Railways has asked the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) to expedite the implementation of the newly-announced Dankuni–Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).
The proposed 2,100-km corridor announced in the Union Budget will connect Dankuni with Surat, passing through West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Indian Railways has initiated fast-track action for the expeditious implementation of the newly announced Dankuni-Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), as announced in the Union Budget 2026.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials for the fast-track action for the time-bound execution of this strategically significant freight corridor.
This corridor will greatly improve freight movement between eastern and western India, make logistics faster and more efficient, reduce travel time for goods trains, and ease congestion on existing Indian Railways routes.
Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) officials have been asked to immediately formalize optimum technical standards incorporating the latest advancements in freight logistics.
Key features under consideration include high-capacity electrification systems, no level crossings and advanced signalling systems such as Kavach, to ensure enhanced safety and higher throughput.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Dankuni-Surat corridor will be updated with the latest cost estimates and revised timelines.
The updated DPR will ensure better planning, budgeting and timely execution of the corridor.
The corridor will be divided into suitable areas to enable early and simultaneous implementation.
Dedicated core teams for each area will be finalized and stationed in the field to closely monitor progress.
Railways has directed that all pre-construction activities be comprehensively identified and fast-tracked, with simultaneous initiation of preparation of contract documents to avoid any delay in project rollout.
An assessment of optimum manpower requirements for the corridor is also underway.
The Railway Board will be apprised on a weekly basis regarding action taken, progress achieved, and assistance required to ensure seamless and expeditious implementation.
