Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor covers entire eastern Uttar Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a 402 km-long section between Mugalsarai Junction to New Bhaupur Junction of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) on December 18th. This section, which cost Rs 10,903 crores, is part of the Delhi-Howrah rail route and passes through several districts in EasternUttar Pradesh. India is building a network of dedicated freight corridors (DFCs) to improve the efficiency and speed of freight transportation across the country, according to media reports.

While the Eastern railway corridor covers entire Eastern andCentral Uttar Pradesh the Delhi Mumbai Corridor covers Western Uttar Pradesh.The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) will run from Ludhiana in Punjab to Dankuni in West Bengal, passing through six North Indian states and covering a distance of 1,839 km.

The 402 km-long section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) that is to be inaugurated on December 18th has 12 stations, six of which are junctions and six are crossings. Near New Kanpur Junction, a multimodal logistics park will be developed, which will offer better cargo services.

The freight trains on this corridor can run at up to 100 km/h, which means faster and cheaper delivery of coal and other essential goods like iron and steel.  This project has enhanced the movement of goods in the region and stimulated the economy and trade. It has also opened up new opportunities for the young people in various sectors such as agriculture, food processing, MSMEs, and handicrafts.

The EDFC will connect the coal fields of Jharkhand and West Bengal to the power plants in Northern India, ensuring a reliable and cost-effective supply of coal for electricity generation. The EDFC will also facilitate the transportation of other essential goods, such as iron and steel, cement, food grains, fertilizers, and petroleum products

The EDFC will have a mix of single and double tracks, depending on the availability of land and traffic demand. The section from Ludhiana to Khurja (365 km) will be single track electrified, while the section from Khurja to Dankuni (1,474 km) will be double track electrified. The EDFC will also have a 46 km branch line connecting Khurja with Dadri, where it will join the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC)

The EDFC will also have longer trains of up to 1.5 km, compared to the current 700 meters, increasing the carrying capacity of the trains.