Latest news with #DFCCIL
Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Of the three planned freight corridors, East-coast corridor is on the priority for approval: DFCCIL MD
As the last leg of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) — Vaitarna to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal — is nearing completion, the Dedicated freight corridor corporation of India limited (DFCCIL) is eyeing for the approval of new dedicated freight corridor projects and development of more Gati Shakti Multimodal terminals. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Heavy Haul Seminar 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL on Friday said the company will prioritise the East-coast corridor — Kharagpur in West Bengal to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh — for approval, which is one of the three newly proposed corridors whose Detailed Project Report was submitted to the Ministry of Railways, and awaits sanction. 'The Ministry of Railways will take decisions on these projects. For sanctioning of these projects, we will prioritize the East-coast corridor, which runs from Kharagpur in West Bengal to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. After that, the decision on the approval of the East-West corridor (Kharagpur to Palghar) and the North-South corridor (Itarsi to Vijayawada) may be taken. It will require an investment of 4.5 lakh crore for these three corridors,' said Kumar. The last stretch of the 1,506 km long WDFC, from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT (Navi Mumbai) will be commissioned by December, Kumar added. The 1,856 km long Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana (Punjab) to Dakuni (West Bengal), is fully operational. 'Because of these two corridors the speed of trains have increased to about 45 to 50 km/h. While the speed of trains on other Indian Railways networks is 20-25km/h. Though our section and locomotives are capable of running 100 kmph, the speed of rolling stock (wagon) is limited. Western corridor has mostly container traffic and the Eastern corridor has mostly coal traffic. Because of deployment of new technology on the corridor, the transit time has reduced by almost 50 percent. The thermal power plants have also reduced their inventory because of trustworthy freight operation on these corridors,' said Kumar to The Indian Express. He further said that because freight has shifted to the DFCC network, the passenger service has also improved. 'The punctuality of adjoining railways such as North Central Railway (NCR), North Western Railway (NWR), Northern Railway, Eastern Railway and East Central Railway (ECR) has improved because there is no pressure for running freight trains on their network. Currently, we are running around 400 trains on DFCC and the potential is to run 480 trains once the JNPT is connected. Our total network is 4 percent of Indian Railways and we carry 13 percent of total Gross tonne-kilometres (GTKM),' said DFCCIL MD. Praveen Kumar also said that DFCCIL is taking up many business development projects and establishing Gati Shakti Multi-Modal terminal in a big way. 'We have commissioned four terminals so far and in this financial year, we are planning to commission six more terminals. We have a special scheme called Truck on Train (TOT). We have started carrying milk trucks from Palanpur in Gujarat to Rewari in Haryana. It will provide last mile connectivity. This traffic was earlier going on Highways,' said Kumar. Talking about the purpose of the seminar, MD Kumar said that experts from different countries shared technologies developed in the heavy haul sector and it will be implemented in DFCC to improve efficiency of the network. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Planned East Coast Freight corridor is top priority: DFCCIL MD
The proposed East Coast Freight Corridor is 'top most priority' for approvals among the three new proposed dedicated cargo tracks according to Praveen Kumar, Managing Director (MD) of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited ( DFCCIL ). Speaking to ET on the sidelines of the Global Heavy Haul Seminar, Kumar said detailed project reports for three new freight corridors worth Rs 4.5 lakh crore have been prepared and sent for approvals to the Railway Boards. DFCCIL has proposed the East Coast Freight Corridor which will run from Kharagpur (West Bengal) to Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh), an East West Corridor that runs between Kharagpur and Palghar (Maharashtra), and a North South Freight Corridor from Vijaywada to Itarsi (Madhya Pradesh). 'The first priority (for approvals) is the East Coast, followed by East – West, and then North – South,' Kumar said while responding to queries on the plans for DFCCIL once the Western DFC is complete later this fiscal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo He said discussions have also been held for refinancing Rs 5,000 crore worth World Bank loans availed by the DFC. According to Kumar, deliberations have been held with the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) for the same but other government-owned lenders have also expressed interest. The MD also said IRFC may be approached for financing future DFC projects. Live Events
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
14 pillars of freight corridor razed; lapses in project plan?
Mumbai: The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) recently demolished 14 completed pillars and a deck slab across a 1km stretch of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) near Kharbao in Palghar district, raising questions about project planning and management lapses. While no official reason has been offered yet for the demolition, sources indicated that it might be due to structural design changes. The dismantled stretch formed part of a viaduct that was intended to connect the WDFC to Indian Railways' existing lines. The deck slab and parapet work were already completed. Rail enthusiasts on social media flagged the issue, questioning how such an extensive section could be built, and then razed, without accountability. "May it affect the deadline or not, how is this wastage justified?" asked Saurabh Raut on his X post, tagging Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the railway ministry, and PM Modi. "Well of course DFCCIL babus will now call it a 'technical issue', but what were engineers doing during piling, pier construction, and girder launching stages?" Raut posted, adding that this wasn't the first instance of poor planning. He cited an earlier case where alignment beyond Boisar had to be re-laid even after major groundwork was completed up to blanket and drainage level. Chief general manager (Mumbai North) of DFCCIL, Vikas Kumar, declined to respond to TOI's queries on the matter. Tata Projects, who had constructed the demolished stretch, stated that an official response would be issued by DFCCIL. The WDFC spans 1,506km from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, traversing five states and serving as a crucial freight link for containers, imported coal, fertilisers, and foodgrains. Its twin, the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, connects northern power plants to eastern coalfields. In Maharashtra,WDFC trial operations began on Apr-il 27, with a successful speed run on the 75km New Umbergaon Road–New Saphale stretch. The corridor's commissioning, originally scheduled for March 2025, was pushed to Dec due to various execution-related hurdles. The latest episode adds to DFCCIL's growing list of execution woes. In 2022, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India flagged delays on both dedicated freight corridors in its compliance audit for the year ending March 2020. The report cited a slow pace in land acquisition, utility shifting, finalisation of design, and delays in overhead equipment works, leading to significant cost escalations. According to the CAG, DFCCIL incurred Rs 2,233.8 crore by March 2021 toward price escalation and anticipated an additional liability of nearly Rs 2,671.3 crore. The report, tabled in Parliament in April 2022, warned of systemic issues and inadequate interface coordination between contractors and the executing agency.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Modern crew running room launched at New Kanpur stn
Kanpur: The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) launched a modern crew running room at New Kanpur Station, Prayagraj Unit, on Friday which was commissioned by Praveen Kumar, managing director of DFCCIL. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Many railway officials were present on the occasion. The impressive G+4 building spanning 7,242.55 square metres, features contemporary amenities including solar installations, roof-mounted 88KW (184 panels) and stand-mounted 412KW (762 panels), projected to generate 8,21,000 KWH annually, with cost savings of Rs 7.7 per unit. During the opening ceremony, Praveen Kumar said, "This crew running room is not just a building, it's a solution designed to meet the operational demands of our freight services while ensuring the comfort and safety of our crew members. With modern technology and sustainable practices woven into the very fabric of this facility, we are taking a crucial step towards a world-class railway infrastructure." The room's ground floor includes a dining area with a modular kitchen, a simulator room for training, and a crew lobby with waiting and recreation areas. The first floor has a spacious conference hall and yoga r Kumar said that providing excellent facilities enhances crew morale and service quality. The building employs sustainable materials like BULA OPUS, maintaining aesthetics while being environmentally responsible. The facility accommodates 150 beds, expandable to 300, serving crews from Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU), GMC, Prayagraj (PRYJ), Prayagraj Cheoki (PCOI), Tundla (TDL), Jhansi (JHS), and Khurja (KRJ). Five rooms with attached facilities are designated for female staff. "The completion of the running room building was a priority for us, and the collaborative efforts of everyone involved are truly commendable", Kumar said.
United News of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Rupee jumps 80 paise against USD
More News 13 May 2025 | 9:54 AM Mumbai, May 13 (UNI) The Rupee on Tuesday appreciated 80 paise at 84.62 in the opening session on the selling of US dollars by bankers and exporters at the Forex Market informed. see more.. Rupee opens at 84 62, up 80 paise against USD 13 May 2025 | 9:40 AM UNI NV ARN. see more.. Sensex opens at 82,249 60, falls 180 pts and Nifty at 24,864 05, slips 60 pts 13 May 2025 | 9:22 AM UNI NV ARN. see more.. DFCCIL launches its longest rail flyover girder at Kalamboli 13 May 2025 | 2:15 AM Mumbai, May 12 (UNI) In a major boost to India's freight infrastructure, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) has successfully launched a monumental Open Web Steel Girder measuring 110.5 metres in length and weighing approximately 1,500 tonnes at Kalamboli, in the JNPT–NILJE section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). see more.. 12 May 2025 | 10:30 PM Kolkata, May 12 (UNI) B C Jindal Group, one of India's leading business conglomerates with over Rs 18,000 crore turnover, on Monday announced that its renewable energy arm, Jindal India Renewable Energy (JIRE), has won a 300 MW solar plus storage project from state-owned, SJVN. see more..
