New Delhi: The Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors have registered a sharp 47 per cent rise in freight train operations, with trips increasing from 88,225 in 2023-24 to 1,30,116 in 2024-25, according to officials.
The corridors, developed and operated by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), are now handling over 350 freight trains daily.
Despite the growth, about 34 per cent of train trips in 2024-25 were vacant, primarily due to the return of coal and cement wagons that cannot be repurposed for other commodities. To address this, the Railway Ministry is offering discounts of up to 20 per cent on return journeys and is introducing multi-purpose wagons to reduce empty runs.
Data shows container traffic accounted for 24 per cent of total freight, followed by coal at 19 per cent and miscellaneous goods at 11 per cent. Commodities such as cement, clinker, iron and steel, foodgrains, fertilisers and petroleum products each contributed between 1 and 4 per cent.
Officials said the growth was driven by initiatives such as new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals and sidings along the corridors. Of the total 2,843 km corridor length, 2,741 km is currently operational.
The remaining 102 km stretch from Vaitrana to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is expected to be commissioned in December 2025.
The Western Corridor spans 1,506 km from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT in Maharashtra, with 93.2 per cent operational, while the 1,337 km Eastern Corridor is fully functional. Officials expect freight volumes to rise further once the remaining Western stretch is commissioned.
DFCCIL clarified that freight booking remains under Indian Railways, while it provides dedicated paths for smooth train movement.
Officials also highlighted new policies to allow private players to set up sidings and freight terminals at corridor stations under public-private partnership models.
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