Why dedicated freight corridors are important for Modi
In a little over four years, a freight train originating in Delhi in the evening will reach Mumbai the following morning – taking only as much time as a Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express does currently to cover the distance – as against several days which is a norm now. What we are set to witness is a sharp increase in the average speed of freight trains – from a frustrating 25 kilometres per hour, or kmph, to 70kmph. Maximum speed of these trains could go up to 100kmph and perhaps more. And it will not be limited to Delhi-Mumbai sector alone. Freight trains between Ludhiana and Kolkata too will travel at that speed. In the subsequent years, freight trains elsewhere in the country, too, would be moving at that speed.
Sounds too good to be true? But that’s the primary objective of building rail corridors dedicated exclusively to freight trains. However, it will not be limited to just that. In many ways, the dedicated freight corridors will have the same impact that rivers and highways had in the process of development. These corridors will be a key infrastructure project that will drive the economic growth that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Development Alliance (NDA) government hopes to deliver.
It will be one more step in making India an easier and attractive place to do business. To a large extent, the success of the Make in India programme too hinges on a rapid execution of the dedicated freight corridor as does the plan to build smart cities needed to manage migration of masses from rural areas to urban areas in search of employment. Many of the 100 smart cities that the government plans to build would be along the freight corridor.
To be fair, the credit for all the ground work for these freight corridors should go to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The project was announced within a year of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coming to power after the Lok Sabha election in 2004. It was meant to rival the NDA government’s national highway development programme in ambition and reach. Talks with Japanese government agencies and the World Bank for financial assistance too began early 2005. Two corridors were planned – the 1,500 km western corridor stretching from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai and the 1,860 km eastern corridor stretching from Sahnewal, near Ludhiana to Dankuni in West Bengal.
The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, too, was planned by the UPA government to run parallel to the western freight corridor. Over the next nine years of the UPA government, the freight corridor project progressed slowly, even though neither funding nor land were major problems. And so, a project that was to be completed in seven years is now slated to be completed only by December 2019.
Need for freight corridor
For years, freight trains suffered second class treatment as express trains and other passenger trains got priority to use the tracks. All trains use the same tracks. As a result, goods never reached their destination in time. Both industry and the railways suffered as a result. Exporters, anxious to reach their consignments to destination within deadline, were among those who preferred to move their goods by road, even though it is a far more expensive mode of transportation. This led to a sharp decline in share of freight carried by railways from 86 per cent in 1950-51 to 36 per cent by 2011-12, even as total freight traffic grew exponentially. In comparison, in many countries, about 50 per cent of freight moves through the railway network.
Providing separate and exclusive tracks for freight trains is expected to reverse the trend over time. To begin with, freight trains will run according to a timetable and as fast as express trains. The new tracks being laid for the freight corridor can handle heavier trains – this will increase freight handling capacity of railways. Freight train capacity is proposed to be more than doubled from the current 6,000 tonnes to 13,000 tonnes. The western corridor would primarily cater to containerised traffic, mostly exports and imports, while the eastern corridor will be used most to move coals from mines in east India to power plants in north. It is also proposed to operate double stack container trains, thereby increasing the handling capacity of the railways and also help decongest ports when consignments arrive.
Moving most freight trains to the new corridor will also benefit passengers – it will reduce congestion on the main tracks and enable passenger trains to move faster.
Emerging growth driver
The construction of the western and eastern corridor alone will create demand for 2.7 million tonnes of cement and 1.6 million tonnes of steel. That’s a huge boost for the two infrastructure industries. It will also create demand for electric equipment and cables, signalling equipment and other infrastructure required to run trains. New locomotives and rolling stock too will be required. Some of these have to be procured from Japanese companies under the concessional financial assistance agreement signed with Japanese agencies. Some of the Japanese companies have committed to make this equipment in India - that too will provide a big boost to manufacturing. Thousands of people will get employed in the construction of the corridor and other facilities along the corridor, including logistics parks to handle cargo and townships these corridors.
In addition to the two corridors under construction, four more corridors have been planned to provide clear passage to freight trains. These are a north-south corridor connecting Delhi and Chennai, an east-west corridor connecting Kolkata to Mumbai, an east coast corridor connecting Vijayawada to Kharagpur, and a south corridor connecting Chennai to Goa.
Timely execution of the dedicated freight corridor project will ensure it becomes Modi government’s legacy just like national highway became Vajpayee government’s. It will also play a lead role in transforming the railways from a loss making operation to an efficient and profitable venture.