Coal news and updates

Eastern DFC likely to be commissioned by 2019: Minister

December 26: Even as the Railways has started work on only 25% of the total, the Minister of State for Railways is confident that the 1839 kilometer (Km) Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project from Ludhiana in Punjab to Dankuni in West Bengal, excluding Sonnagar-Dankuni Section, will be commissioned by 2019.

The assurance of the minister came while replying a question in parliament despite the fact that at present work is going on only over 465 Km of the total 1839 Km project.

The 1839 Km long Eastern DFC is being developed to augment the rail transport capacity to meet the growing requirement of movement of freight traffic on the route, he said.

“The Eastern DFC (excluding Sonnagar-Dankuni Section) is likely to be commissioned by 2019,” Sinha said.

He said civil construction works of Khurja-Kanpur Section(343 km) of Eastern DFC have commenced and approximately 25% of work has been completed. Works on 122 km Mughalsarai-Sonnagar Section of Eastern DFC are also progressing well.

He pointed that 3861 Hectare of land out of 5550 Hectare required for the Project have been notified for land acquisition under Section 20 F of the Railway Amendment Act 2008.