The successful trial on the JNPA-Vaitarna section signals the completion of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corp. of India Ltd (DFCCIL), a state‑owned freight infrastructure developer, has conducted a trial run on the newly electrified double‑line section between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Vaitarna.
Monday’s successful trial marks the completion of the entire Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), with operations carried out on the JNPA-New Saphale (Vaitarna) section. A container train in the down direction (JNPA-New Saphale) departed at 1150 hrs, hauled by an electric locomotive, while in the up direction (New Saphale-JNPA), a container train also departed at 1150 hrs, powered by a diesel locomotive.
The trial run evaluated key technical and operational parameters, including track stability, behaviour of long welded rails under load, efficiency of overhead electrification systems, locomotive performance, signalling coordination, and safe movement of rolling stock. It also assessed integration between mainline and loop line operations, crucial for seamless freight handling.
With uninterrupted end‑to‑end connectivity now established, train operations will become significantly more efficient, requiring fewer trainsets between New Makarpura and New JNPA due to reduced operational handovers and streamlined running. Freight trains will also experience a reduction of nearly four hours in transit time, enabling faster turnaround of rolling stock, improved asset utilisation, enhanced schedule reliability, and greater capacity for handling increased freight volumes.
The successful trial, conducted under the leadership of Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, was attended by senior officials including Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director (Operations & Business Development), Anurag Sharma, Director (Infrastructure), MK Awasthy, Executive Director (Infrastructure), and Sandesh Srivastava, Executive Director (Projects).