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 April 18, 2021 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 18, 2021 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PMS Vs MF The Big Fight
How do mutual funds and portfolio management services match up? Know the score on structure, rules, entry fees, charges, and tax perks to pick the right path for your financial journey
Four Levers Of Enterprise AI Strategy
Wide-scale private sector AI deployment and new AI-based business opportunities and ecosystems can truly supercharge the Indian economy
"Don't let a unique chance slip by"
JEFF MAGGIONCALDA | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | COURSERA
THE INCOMING DISRUPTION
The disruption in the industrial sector is still unknown, but inevitable. Companies need to wake up
THE WHEEL WHISPERER
For Manan Shah, Managing Director of MICL Group, luxury cars are not about showcasing one's wealth or status. It is about personal well-being
TRIPPING WITH TECH
A road trip is an adventure like no other. While you take in the experience, get some peace of mind with these nifty gadgets
Transforming Spaces
WHETHER YOU WANT TO REDECORATE YOUR BEDROOM OR HALLWAY, A GORGEOUS WALLPAPER ADDS FLAIR TO YOUR HOME AND ALLOWS YOU TO STAMP YOUR STYLE IN YOUR NEW ABODE
ALPHATALE
MONEY MANAGERS TO THE AFFLUENT DELIVERED ROBUST RETURNS TO INVESTORS IN THE PAST YEAR, THANKS TO THE BUOYANCY IN THE MARKETS. BUSINESS TODAY DECODES THEIR STRATEGY
"THE ALTERNATIVES SPACE CAN GROW 3X IN FIVE YEARS"
Vikaas M. Sachdeva, MD of Sundaram Alternates, talks about where India's alternative investment industry is headed
"ALWAYS BE DATA-DRIVEN WHILE INVESTING"
First Global's Founder and CMD Devina Mehra on her company's PMS outperformance, technology and industry