On a mission mode, Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) of Indian Railways is gathering speed. Constant weekly monitoring and meetings with all stakeholders lead to acquisition of patches and sections of land which were long delayed. Indian Railways even deployed its experts to assist the contractors to tide over operational difficulties at ground level implementation.
Highlights of the meeting:
- Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal held a review meeting with Chief Secretaries of State Government to expedite the progress & resolve critical issues of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC).
- The Minister also wrote letters to Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra in this regard. Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal has been holding review meetings with Dedicated Freight Corridor contractors to resolve their problems and issues.
- Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Railway Board Shri Vinod Kumar Yadav also wrote letters to Chief Secretaries of State Governments and General Managers of Zonal Railways to expedite the progress and resolve critical issues.
- Shri Yadav also held a meeting with Dedicated Freight Corridor contractors to resolve their problems and issues.
In the last week more than 20 meetings (contract package wise) held with respective field officials of L&T, PMC, TATA and DFC Officials. Various issues discussed in the meeting and resolved and timelines given. Dashboard is being created to monitor km by km progress of project.
Open house video conferencing also started on daily basis to resolve critical issues of States Governments/Zonal Railways/Contractors on real time basis.
Resolving contractors’ problems in project interest during last one week is as under:-
- Up to date payment to contractors as Covid-19 relief under GCC clause.
- Simplification of GST payment process.
- Railway supervisors provided to private contractors to get things moving at the ground level.
Various issues like land possession for RUB/ROB, mutation of land, land issue for construction of high tension line, disbursement for private land, award for land as per original methodology etc. also resolved with State Governments of Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat in last one week to expedite the progress of Dedicated Freight Corridor.
About Dedicated Freight Corridors:
- Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) is one of the largest rail infrastructure projects a (total length of 3360 route km) undertaken by the Government of India.
- The overall cost is pegged at Rs 81,459 crores.
- DFCCIL has been set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to undertake planning, development, mobilization of financial resources, construction, maintenance and operation of Dedicated Freight Corridors.
Recent Progress:
- As on 01.09.2020, 8 no. of I-Girders launched at Viaduct between Dadari-Rewari Section of WDFC.
- Now it will facilitate faster Launching of Girders.
- On 28.08.2020, Panel Interlocking work of DDU Avoiding cabin was commissioned.
- This will facilitate interchange of freight trains between IR and DFC.
- DFCCIL recently conducted a successful speed trial of Electric Loco on turnout (Cross Over) at the speed of 55 Kmph between Bhadan-Khurja of Eastern DFC on Delhi-Kanpur section.
- Earlier the speed of turnout was 15/30 kmph.
- It will ensure fast operation of goods trains over DFC.
Source: PIB-Press Release | Image Credit: MoR
