New dedicated freight corridor a 'lifeline for industries', says Piyush Goyal

Hailing the inauguration of the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of the Eastern DFC in Uttar Pradesh, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said it is not just a freight corridor but a "Dedicated For the Country scheme" that will carry goods as well as development.

Lucknow: Hailing the inauguration of the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of the Eastern DFC in Uttar Pradesh, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said it is not just a freight corridor but a "Dedicated For the Country scheme" that will carry goods as well as development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday inaugurated the 351-km section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor via videoconferencing.

Speaking at the inauguration, Goyal said the DFCs are the best example of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said the DFC will play a role similar to what the river Ganga plays in terms of sustaining lives and livelihoods across its course.

"The society calls the one ‘Jeevandayini (one who nurtures the life)'' and the other (DFC) will prove to be a lifeline for industries," he said.

"The DFCs are not only Dedicated Freight Corridor but a Dedicated For Country scheme," he said, adding they will carry not only goods but also development in the areas they serve.

He said at a present passenger as well as goods trains operate on the same track. "Because of this 150-year-old arrangement, goods trains do not reach in time (to their respective destinations), as they are not given priority on their route," Goyal said.

READ: Priyanka plays 'crisis manager' in Congress party

The Railway Minister also said that earlier goods trains used to run at an average speed of 25 kilometres per hour, which has now doubled.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic this year, the Railways has almost reached 95-96 per cent of previous year''s freight loading, he said. "And by March 2021, we will exceed previous year’s carry and strengthen the economy more."

"All this has been possible due to the reforms undertaken in the past five months and increasing strengthening of the economy," he said.

Speaking on this occasion, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "For a land-locked state like Uttar Pradesh, we can understand its (the DFC's) importance.

"It is also important for us that 75 per cent of the Eastern DFC lies in Uttar Pradesh. The junction of Eastern Freight Corridor and Western Freight Corridor is also in UP. This will provide us with an opportunity to create new avenues in the logistics sector," he said.

PTI