Question : Dedicated Freight Corridors

(a) the salient features of Dedicated Freight Corridor Project (DFCP);

(b) the details of funds sanctioned, allocated and utilised under the scheme till date, State-wise including Gujarat;

(c) the States and corridors selected under the scheme till date alongwith the current status thereof;.

(d) whether the Government is facing any type of difficulties in certain States for its construction; and

(e) if so, the details thereof, State-wise along with the reasons therefor and the measures taken by the Government to deal with these difficulties?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) Some of the salient features of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) Project are as:-
• Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) is from Ludhiana to Dankuni (1318 Kms Ludhiana to Sonnagar and 538 Kms Sonnagar to Dankuni) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) is from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri (1504 Kms);

• Designed for a maximum speed of 100 Kmph;
• Substructure designed for an axle load of 32.5 tons and superstructure with axle load of 25 tons; and
• Capacity to run long haul train of 1500 meter length.

(b) The project is not State-specific and no State-wise position for funds allocated/utilised is kept. However, total estimated cost and expenditure incurred on both EDFC and WDFC is as under:

Corridor Estimated Cost (in Crore) Expenditure incurred till May 2018 (in Crore)
EDFC 30,358 16,308.55
WDFC 51,101 22,156.43
Total 81,459 38,464.98

(c) Western DFC passes through States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra and Eastern DFC through States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 98.7% of land required for both the corridors has been acquired. Overall 97.2% of total contracts have been awarded. The financial and physical progress on both corridors is 47.2% and 49.6% respectively.

Both EDFC and WDFCs are targeted for commissioning in phases by year 2020.

(d) & (e) The project faced some difficulties usually faced in execution of any Railway project such as delay in land acquisition, resistance by Project-affected Persons (PAP) and environmental/forest clearance. These are resolved by constant interaction with and assistance from concerned agencies and the State Governments.
*****