Vadodara: The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) on Monday conducted the first trial run of a cargo train on the newly constructed electrified segment of  Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) that links Gothangam in Surat district with Makarpura in Vadodara city.

The completion of this new railway section, which spans 117 kilometers and traverses Surat, Bharuch, and Vadodara districts in Gujarat, comes at an approximate cost of Rs 3,644 crore. DFCCIL announced in a release.

Out of the total 1506 kilometers of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) route, 1,279 kilometers have now been completed. This is expected to substantially reduce the load on the existing, heavily congested Mumbai-Delhi main rail route. It will lead to an increase in freight capacity, economic growth, efficiency, and the speed of the existing rail network.

Watch the magnificent view over the #Narmada bridge of the first successful freight train (carrying containers) trial between #WDFC’s New Gothangam (Surat dist.) – New Makarpura (Vadodara dist.) sections of #Gujarat on 23.10.2023. #Expressway for freight trains @railminindia pic.twitter.com/RyZsaE2XYj

— DFCCIL (@dfccil_india) October 24, 2023

The Gothangam to Makarpura section of DFCCIL features a total of 240 minor and major railway bridges, including a bridge spanning 1.3 kilometers over the Narmada River in Bharuch. This bridge is also the longest on the WDFC.

Additionally, this section is equipped with a Japanese train protection and warning system, a European GSM-R for emergency communication and train control, and data communication systems. It also incorporates a feeding system designed for long-haul and heavy-haul operations, which reduces energy losses, among other advanced technologies. DeshGujarat