Railways to seek Cabinet nod for land acquisition, funds for three new DFCs

Firming up plans for expansion of the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) network, railways will seek cabinet approval for arranging fund and acquiring land for the new three dedicated corridors. 

Railway Budget 2016-17 has proposed the total 5769 km long track comprising three more dedicated freight corridors in the country to ensure faster movement of goods.

RITES has undertaken the preliminary engineering and traffic system study of the proposed three new routes to ascertain the traffic projection and the report has been submitted to railways, DFCC Managing Director Aadesh Sharma said here on Friday. The proposed new routes are the 2327 km long East - West Corridor connecting Kolkata to Mumbai, the 2328 km long North - South Corridor linking Delhi with Chennai and the 1114 km long East Coast Corridor from Kharagpur to Vijaywada. 

Railways will go to cabinet for approval of arranging funds and beginning the process of acquiring land for the new corridors, he said. The market share of railways is expected to go up to 50 per cent from the current 18 per cent with the operation of DFC. 

While railways will earn revenue from freight movement on the dedicated corridors, DFCC will earn access charge which is about 35 per cent to 40 per cent of the revenue earnings.