Tata Projects announces commencement of work on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor

Hyderabad-based Tata Projects Limited today announced that it was commencing work on Rs 4,328 crore project to build the 320-km stretch of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), a freight line connecting Delhi and Mumbai.

The company, along with IRCON International Limited, is a part of the Express Freight Consortium, which is led by Mitsui and Company Limited of Japan.

Segregating freight traffic from passenger traffic is aimed at facilitating a high speed movement of freight between the important economic centers. Tata Projects operates through its business units across EPC, transmission, transportation, construction and environment, urban infrastructure among other areas.

The consortium plans to complete the work in scheduled time of 48 months using latest technology of Automated Track Laying Machines. The machine lays the sleepers, special rails imported from Japan, and clamps all together in an automated manner simultaneously.

The DFC is an ambitious programme of the Ministry of Railways involving construction of two corridors: The Eastern DFC from Ludhiana to Dankuni, and the Western DFC from Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai. The project is being implemented by DFC Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL). The project will eventually link the four hubs of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata at the corners of India's Golden Quadrilateral. The Japanese government has provided loans for Western DFC project under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership (STEP).

"We are delighted to be a part of this ambitious Dedicated Freight Corridor Project for the second time, as we are already constructing a section of the Eastern Freight Corridor. The early commencement of work, within a short period of the award of contract, is testimony to our proven execution excellence and capabilities in this area. Tata Projects, along with the other consortium partners, aims to bring the best of the technological advancements for this project in line with global standards. This project is an important milestone towards modernisation of India's rail freight transportation, and we at Tata Projects are committed to the development of India," Vinayak Deshpande, managing director of Tata Projects Limited said in a statement.