Early Times Report
NEW DELHI, Jan 27: The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) achieved yet another major engineering milestone on 26.01.2026 with the successful launch of a 110.5-metre Open Web Steel Girder on the UP line near Kalamboli in the JNPT-Vaitarna section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC). Weighing approximately 1,500 tonnes, this is the longest Rail Flyover (RFO) girder constructed by DFCCIL to date. The installation posed significant engineering challenges due to the massive size of the girder and the requirement for precise placement. The structure was erected over an active Indian Railways track through a 32-metre radial shifting operation, executed using advanced construction techniques, meticulous structural calculations and carefully planned sequencing. The complex operation was carried out during night hours with the support of heavy-duty cranes and hydraulic jacks. Despite adverse weather conditions and operational constraints, the work was completed safely and within the stipulated timeframe. Senior officials, including Sandesh Srivastava, ED/Project, and S. K. Negi, Consultant/Project Development, from the DFCCIL Corporate Office were present at the site to witness the launch. They reviewed the execution and appreciated the high level of coordination among project teams and stakeholders. Sh. Sandesh Srivastava remarked that the achievement reflects the sustained efforts, technical competence and national commitment of DFCCIL's engineers, and emphasized that the structure will serve as a critical freight asset for decades to come.
The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, connecting Dadri to JNPT and traversing the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, is poised to significantly enhance India's freight and export logistics capacity. The Dedicated Freight Corridor project-comprising the Eastern DFC and Western DFC-aims to increase average freight train speeds, reduce transit times and bring down logistics costs. |
