Vaishnaw directs railway officials, DFCCIL to fast-track Dankuni-Surat freight corridor

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India and the Railway Board to expedite implementation of the newly announced freight corridor between Dankuni in West Bengal and Surat in Gujarat. ''Indian Railways has initiated fast-track action for the expeditious implementation of the newly announced Dankuni-Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor, as announced in the Union Budget 2026,'' the Railway Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. ''The Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has directed officials for the time-bound execution of this strategically significant freight corridor,'' it added. The proposed dedicated freight corridor is around 2,100 kilometres long and will run through West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Officials said it 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 railway routes. ''Officials of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited have been asked to immediately formalise optimum technical standards incorporating the latest advancements in freight logistics,'' the statement said. ''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,'' it added. According to the ministry, 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, senior railway officials associated with the project said. ''The corridor will be divided into suitable areas to enable early and simultaneous implementation. Dedicated core teams for each area will be finalised and stationed in the field to closely monitor progress,'' a senior official said. ''Railway Board 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.'' The statement said that an assessment of optimum manpower requirements for the corridor is underway and the Railway Board will be apprised on a weekly basis regarding the action taken, progress achieved, and assistance required to ensure seamless and expeditious implementation.