On 7 January 2021, PM Narendra Modi is all set to dedicate to the nation the 306 kilometre long Western Dedicated Freight Corridor’s (WDFC) New Rewari – New Madar section via video conferencing. Besides, the PM will also flag off the world’s first 1.5 kilometre long Double Stack Long Haul Container Train between New Ateli and New Kishangarh. The train will be hauled by electric traction. The WDFC section of New Rewari – New Madar is located in Haryana (around 79 Km, in the districts of Mahendragarh and Rewari) and Rajasthan (around 227 Km, in the districts of Jaipur, Ajmer, Nagaur, Sikar and Alwar).
The DFC section comprises of nine newly developed stations in which six of them are crossing stations viz. New Dabla, New Pachar Malikpur, New Sri Madhopur, New Bhagega, New Sakun and New Kishangarh while the other three in New Ateli, New Rewari and New Phulera are junction stations. According to the PMO, the opening of this WDFC stretch will benefit various industries in Rewari – Phulera, Kishangarh, Manesar and Narnaul areas of Rajasthan and Haryana. Apart from this, it will also enable better usage of the container depot of CONCOR at Kathuwas. Also, seamless connectivity will be provided with this WDFC section to the western ports of Mundhra, Pipavav, Kandla and Dahej situated in the state of Gujarat. With the opening of this section, seamless connectivity will be achieved between the WDFC and EDFC.
According to the PMO, the Double Stack Long Haul Container Train Operation will have an enhanced axle load of 25 tons. It has been designed by the wagon department of RDSO for Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India. Trial runs have been completed for BLCS-A and BLCS-B wagon prototypes. It is being said that the design will maximize capacity utilization and uniform distribution as well as point loading. On the WDFC, these wagons can carry four times in terms of container units on a long-haul double stack container train compared to the current Indian Railways’ traffic.
As against the current maximum speed of 75 kmph, the DFCCIL will run freight trains at the maximum speed of 100 km per hour on Indian Railway tracks whereas the freight trains’ average speed will also be increased from the existing speed of 26 km per hour on Indian Railways lines to 70 km per hour on DFC.