Lok Sabha Question No. 1124 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Dedicated Freight Corridors
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Manoj Kishorbhai Kotak, Dibyendu Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1124

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDORS

1124. SHRI MANOJ KOTAK:

SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the    Government    has  taken    up  construction  of  two Dedicated  Freight  Corridors  (DFC) viz.  Eastern  Dedicated  Freight Corridor (EDFC) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC);
- (b) if so, the progress and status of the work on all Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs);
- (c)  the  details  of  the  comparative  status  of  financial  and  physical progress of both DFC's in 2014 and in 2023;
- (d)  whether  DFC  is  likely  to  promote  industrial  activities  in  the region by leveraging the industrial corridors/townships being implemented along the DFC route;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the benefits to the whole logistics sector and Railways; and
- (f)  whether  the  Quadrilateral linking  the  four  Metropolitan  cities  of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Howrah is still behind the target, if so, the details and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1124  BY  SHRI  MANOJ  KOTAK  AND SHRI  DIBYENDU  ADHIKARI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 08.02.2023 REGARDING DEDICATED FREIGHT CORRIDORS

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Ministry of Railways has taken up construction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) viz. Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor  (EDFC)  from  Ludhiana  to  Sonnagar  (1337  Km)  and  the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri (1506 Kms.). 861 Km on EDFC and 863 Km on WDFC has been completed.

(c): The  comparative  picture  of  financial  and  physical  progress  of both DFC's in 2014 and in 2022 are as under:-

| Description                | Status as on 1 st Mar'2014    | Status as on 31 st Jan.2023           |
|----------------------------|-------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Physical Progress          | Nil                           | 1724 Km commissioned                  |
| Expenditure including land | Rs. 10,357 crore (FY 2013-14) | Rs. 97,957 crore (upto Decmeber 2022) |

(d) &(e): Yes, Sir. Dedicated Freight Corridors will promote industrial activities  and  development  of  new  industrial  hubs  and  townships. National  Industrial  Corridor  Corporation  (NICDC)  under  Ministry  of Commerce is implementing number of projects along the corridor for development of Integrated Industrial Townships. The logistic sector will benefit with development of New Freight terminals, Multimodal Logistic  parks  and  Inland  Container  Depots  creating  direct  and indirect employment in the project-influence areas.

(f):  Delhi,  Mumbai,  Chennai and Howrah are already linked through the  existing  Indian  Railway  Network.  The  connectivity  of  Delhi, Mumbai and Howrah area will be further strengthened with commissioning of DFC project.

*****