Dankuni-Surat DFC: Railways explores alignment to boost east-west freight connectivity - The Indian Express

The government’s dedicated freight corridor (DFC) programme currently includes two major lines: the Western DFC that runs from Mumbai to Delhi and the Eastern DFC that connects Ludhiana to Dankuni. Both corridors have been built to separate freight traffic from passenger trains, thereby increasing speed and reliability for cargo. Industry groups have long argued that a direct east‑west link would complement these corridors by providing a faster route for goods moving between the industrial belt of eastern India and the major ports on the western coast.

Railways officials have begun a technical study to identify the most viable alignment between Dankuni and Surat. The study examines several possible paths that would cross the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Engineers are looking at factors such as terrain, land acquisition costs, existing railway infrastructure and the proximity to major manufacturing hubs. Early consultations have involved state governments, freight forwarders and logistics companies, all of which have expressed strong interest in a corridor that could cut transit times by several days.

If approved, the east‑west DFC could reshape freight logistics across the country. Shippers would be able to move containers from the ports of Kolkata and Haldia to the ports of Mumbai and Kandla with fewer bottlenecks, supporting export‑oriented industries and reducing reliance on road transport. The project is also expected to generate employment during construction and to stimulate ancillary services such as warehousing and cold‑storage. The railways plan to present a detailed proposal to the cabinet by the end of the fiscal year, after which the alignment will be finalized and land acquisition will begin.