Dankuni to Diamond City: A New Era of Freight

The Union government has approved a 2,052 km dedicated freight corridor (DFC) connecting Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in Gujarat, establishing a new East–West cargo spine.

Announced in the 2026 Union Budget, the corridor will enhance connectivity between India’s eastern manufacturing belt and its busiest western ports. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the DFC will pass through six states—West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat—before linking with the Western DFC near Surat. The integration with the existing Western DFC, which connects Dadri to JNPT, will enable seamless cargo movement to major ports including JNPT, Mundra, and Hazira.

Designed with dedicated freight tracks, the corridor will reduce congestion on passenger-heavy routes, shorten transit times, and support double-stack container trains. The project is expected to lower logistics costs, enhance supply chain reliability, and accelerate India’s shift from road to rail for more sustainable transport.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.