WDFC fully completed with successful trial run on JNPT–New Saphale section : A proud moment for DFCCIL

MUMBAI : The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited(DFCCIL) has achieved a historic milestone with the successful trial run of freight trains, marking the full completion of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) on 31st March 2026.

The trial operations were conducted on the crucial JNPT–New Saphale (Vaitarna) section, completing the final 102 km balance stretch of the corridor. Demonstrating seamless bidirectional movement, a container train in the down direction (JNPT to New Saphale) departed at 11:50 hrs hauled by an electric locomotive, while a corresponding up-direction train (New Saphale to JNPT) also departed at 11:50 hrs powered by a diesel locomotive.

Undertaken under the leadership of Shri Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, the successful trial run signifies the operational readiness of the entire WDFC. The newly commissioned high-rise, electrified, high-capacity double-line infrastructure is now fully prepared to handle seamless, efficient, and high-volume freight movement across the western corridor.

The occasion was graced by senior officials including Shri Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director (Operations & Business Development); Shri Anurag Sharma, Director (Infrastructure); Shri M. K. Awasthy, Executive Director (Infrastructure); Shri Sandesh Srivastava, Executive Director (Projects); Shri Vikas Srivastava, GGM (S&T); Shri Ran Vijay Singh, GGM (Electrical); Shri Amit Saurastri, GM (CC); and Shri H. G. Tiwari, CGM (Mumbai), along with other senior officers and members of the DFCCIL team.

With the commissioning of this final stretch, uninterrupted end-to-end connectivity has been established from hinterland nodes to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, significantly enhancing port connectivity and logistics efficiency. Train operations are expected to become more streamlined, requiring fewer crew changes—reduced to just two crew sets between New Makarpura and JNPT—owing to minimized operational handovers.

The completion of the WDFC is projected to reduce freight transit time by nearly four hours, enabling faster turnaround of rolling stock, improved asset utilization, and enhanced schedule reliability. It will also unlock additional capacity for handling higher freight volumes while promoting greener, energy-efficient rail transportation.

This landmark achievement represents a transformative step in strengthening India’s logistics backbone. By enabling faster, more reliable, and cost-effective movement of goods, the fully operational WDFC is set to play a pivotal role in boosting trade competitiveness, reducing logistics costs, and accelerating the nation’s economic growth.