Dankuni-Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor: Indian Railways is exploring the alignment of the proposed Dankuni-Surat Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) to improve east-west freight connectivity and facilitate the movement of goods across regions. The 2,052-km-long corridor was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2026-27. The project is currently at the planning stage, with discussions underway at the Railway Board.Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Dharmendra Tewari, Additional Director General (Public Relations) at Railway Board said the Railways is examining the alignment to meet transportation needs and industrial requirements.The official added the Gati Shakti Directorate, an expert wing involved in integrated infrastructure planning, is examining the project from a broader connectivity and development perspective.Railways seeks stakeholder inputs to plan DFC alignmentAn important focus is to improve links between raw-material sources, processing units and markets for finished products. The proposed corridor is expected to strengthen freight movement between industrial centres in eastern and western India.The national transporter is also seeking inputs from stakeholders to understand industrial requirements and identify opportunities to improve connectivity. The planning process includes examining how rail and road networks can work together to support more coordinated infrastructure development. The Dankuni-Surat DFC is proposed to improve links between industrial centres, raw-material sources and markets. (Image: DFCCIL/Enhanced using AI)Proposed DFC to strengthen industrial supply chains and port connectivityExplaining the potential benefits, the official said the corridor could help industries in eastern India transport goods more efficiently and improve their access to markets and ports along the western coast, including those in Maharashtra and Gujarat.The eastern region has major steel industries and sources of iron ore and coal, which are important raw materials for several industries. Improved freight connectivity could help link these sources with processing units and markets, strengthening supply chains and facilitating the movement of industrial goods across regions.Story continues below this adIn February, Railway Board (RB) directed the DFCCIL to expedite the implementation of the newly announced Dankuni-Surat DFC. According to the RB, the proposed corridor will pass through six states: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. This new DFC will be divided into suitable areas to enable early and simultaneous implementation.Also Read | Parliamentary panel calls for timely completion of Dankuni-Surat Dedicated Freight CorridorIndia’s freight corridor plans date back to 2005The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project was first discussed at a Japan-India meeting in April 2005 and was included in a joint declaration of cooperation. A feasibility study report was prepared in October 2007. Subsequently, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) was set up as a special purpose vehicle to construct, operate and maintain the freight corridors.At present, there are two major DFCs. These are: the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). Together, they form a network of around 2,843 km.Eastern Dedicated Freight CorridorThe Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) is around 1,337 km long. It starts from New Sahnewal in Punjab and extends up to New Sonnagar in Bihar, passing through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.Story continues below this adWestern Dedicated Freight CorridorThe Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) is around 1,506 km long. It starts from New Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and runs up to New JNPT in Maharashtra, passing through Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The corridor connects major industrial areas with important logistics centres and ports, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Port area in Maharashtra. Dedicated Freight Corridors are designed to increase freight capacity and free up existing railway lines for passenger services. (Image: DFCCIL/Enhanced using AI)How Dedicated Freight Corridors are helping Indian RailwaysThe Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) are providing additional capacity for freight trains, easing congestion on the existing railway network. The DFCs have not only increased the speed and capacity of freight trains but have also helped in reducing the pressure of freight traffic on the existing rail network. This provides additional capacity for operation of passenger trains.Integrated infrastructure planning can improve transportation efficiency, reduce delays and support balanced urban development. The DFC network is also expected to help lower logistics costs and improve transportation efficiency, benefiting the common person.“Along with other railway reforms, the corridors are expected to play an important role in helping Indian Railways achieve its target of transporting 3,000 million tonnes of freight by 2030 under Mission 3000 Million Tonnes,” the official told Indianexpress.com.