New track construction machine for DFC project

To speed up track laying work, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC) is deploying a mechanised track linking system for the construction of freight corridors.
The fully-mechanised track linking methods have been deployed for track linking on Durgauti-Karwandia section of Eastern DFC by using a new track construction (NTC) machine, which has been imported from the US, said a senior DFCC official.
The machine has the capability of linking 1.5 km of track length in a day with very minimal manpower.
The track laying for new railway line has always been labour intensive exercise and generally takes about 500-600 man-days for linking one Km track.

The dedicated freight corridor project is a mega infrastructure project involving track linking of approximately 7000 kms.
"This mammoth task is not possible using conventional method of track laying and that is why we have to opt for NTC machine," he said.

It is for the first time in India that fully mechanised track linking system for new lines is being employed for construction of the dedicated freight corridors.
Fully mechanised methods not only improve the pace of the track linking but the quality of track laying also gets improved.
The official said more such machines will be deployed on the DFC route after the experience gained using the new methods for laying new lines.

The dedicated freight corridors are being built to carry heavy axle load of 32.5 tonnes.