Surat: In a significant push towards environmentally sustainable logistics and infrastructure development, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the establishment of a new Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) connecting Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in Gujarat during her presentation of the Union Budget 2026–27 in the Lok Sabha.

The initiative aims to strengthen the efficient and eco-friendly movement of cargo across eastern and western India, aligning with the government’s broader vision of a “future-ready Bharat.”

“To promote environmentally sustainable movement of cargo, I propose to establish new Dedicated Freight Corridors connecting Dankuni in the East to Surat in the West,” Sitharaman said in her 83-minute Budget speech.

The corridor is expected to emerge as a major freight link, enabling faster and greener transportation of goods between key industrial hubs in the east and the ports and manufacturing centres in the west.

Strategic Importance

India’s existing Dedicated Freight Corridors, including the Eastern DFC (from Ludhiana to Dankuni) and the Western DFC (from Dadri to Jawaharlal Nehru Port), have already transformed rail logistics by separating freight operations from passenger traffic, reducing transit time, and increasing capacity.

The proposed Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting Dankuni in West Bengal with Surat will pass through Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. This 2,052-km corridor will integrate with the existing Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, enabling seamless movement of goods to ports along the west coast. The Union Minister noted that the existing Eastern and Western DFCs are already operating at near-saturation levels, handling around 400 freight trains daily, necessitating additional corridors to meet future demand.

By linking mineral-rich regions in the east with Surat’s textile, diamond, and port-based industries, the corridor is expected to promote balanced regional development and boost India’s freight infrastructure. DeshGujarat