Last week, the first trial of a 53 wagon freight train was conducted on the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC). The train was loaded with coal and made the journey between New Karchana and New Sujatpur stations, covering a distance of 62.65 km and crossing an important 1km bridge over the Yamuna.
With this section, all connections of EDFC with Indian Railways between Chunar and Kanpur stations (route length of 322.353 km) including four link lines -Cheoki Link Line, Iradatganj Link Line, Sujatpur link line and Rooma link line have been completed.
This section of the EDFC also has Road Under Bridges and Road Over Bridges constructed at all level crossings for safety of public and unhindered movement of goods trains.
With the EDFC fully functional, freight trains will be able to bypass the major passenger junctions of Prayagraj, Cheoki and Naini, and take the DFC detour. This will help the North Central Railway by relieving the congestion at these stations. The punctuality of passenger carrying trains will also improve significantly.
In another news around the EDFC, its 351-km Bhaupur-Khurja section has scaled new heights in freight movement during the last two years of commissioning. A total of 27,835.72 Million GTKM (Gross Tonne Kilometre) freight was carried in these two years by more than 35,000 train runs in both directions.
In a sharp contrast to 28 kmph over IR, the average speed of trains on the EDFC is 60 kmph, which has considerably increased the mobility of coal rakes from the mines to their destinations in the northern hinterland. This was a big relief and helped avert a potential power crisis during peak summer of 2022.
Improvement of average speeds of both passenger and freight trains over northern and central railways, and other connected zones, enhanced availability of empty rakes, locos and crew, de-congestion of routes improved mobility, throughput, loading are some of the benefits due to this commissioning.
