New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated the 306-km New Rewari-New Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) to the nation via video conferencing.
PM Modi also flagged off the world’s first double-stack long-haul 1.5-km-long container train hauled by electric traction from New Ateli-New Kishangarh, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
During the virtual launch, the Prime Minister said that the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is being seen as a game-changer project in the 21st century for India. A big chunk of the project has been dedicated to the nation after a lot of hard work in the last 5-6 years, he said.
He said the average speed of the goods and freight trains has reached 90 kmh as compared to 25 kmh, which is thrice more than earlier in that particular section.
Speaking on the double-stack freight train, PM said, “Today from Haryana’s New Ateli and Rajasthan’s New Kishangarh, a new double stack goods train has been flagged off. This is a big achievement. India is one of the few countries which has such a facility.”
The PM also hailed the engineers, labourers and railway officials for their role in this achievement and emphasised that the day is important for the farmers and businessmen as this project has brought new hopes and opportunities for them.
PM Modi further said that the western freight corridor will make farming and allied business in Haryana and Rajasthan easier and also impart new energy into cities like Mahendragarh, Jaipur, Ajmer and Sikar.
The Rewari-Madar section falls in Haryana for 79 kms covering districts of Mahendragarh and Rewari with 227 kms in Rajasthan covering districts like Jaipur, Ajmer, Sikar, Nagaur and Alwar.
On this occasion, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot were also present.
The Japan government also joined the ceremony today. Ambassador of Japan to India, Satoshi Suzuki attended the event and flagged off this project together with other dignitaries, the Embassy of Japan said in a statement.
Speaking on the occasion, Suzuki said, “Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) project is an important venture of ‘Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor’ (DMIC) initiative. This project is an epitome of Japan-India collaboration for comprehensive infrastructure development.”
“It creates India’s largest industrial belt zone by linking industrial parks and harbors of six states between Delhi and Mumbai in order to promote trade, foreign export and direct investment. We are looking forward to continuing to work with our Indian friends on this important project,” he was quoted saying in a statement.
Japan has been providing funds and expertise for the dedicated freight railway system having route length of approximately 1,500km, which has been constructed, under the WDFC project, along the Industrial Corridor between Dadri-Delhi and Mumbai, the statement added.
-RJV
