DFCCIL Holds Major Stakeholder Conference to Accelerate East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor Project
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) has taken a significant step towards advancing the proposed East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor (EWDFC) by organising a high-level stakeholder conference focused on the project’s financing and construction. The conference, held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, brought together leading infrastructure developers, financial institutions, investors, logistics companies, multilateral agencies, and prospective bidders to discuss the implementation framework and financing strategy for one of India’s largest upcoming railway infrastructure projects.
The event served as a platform for consultations with key stakeholders to facilitate collaboration, address industry concerns, and invite suggestions for the successful execution of the ambitious freight corridor.
The conference was led by Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, along with Shyam Sundar Gupta, Principal Executive Director (Infrastructure), Railway Board, B. Mugunthan, Director (Finance), DFCCIL, and Rahul Kapoor, Executive Director (Finance/RM & PPP), Railway Board. Senior officials from DFCCIL, including executives from infrastructure, operations, finance, project planning, and asset management, also participated in the discussions.
A major focus of the conference was the implementation of the East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM). Participants deliberated on financing mechanisms, construction strategies, risk allocation, stakeholder participation, and the overall implementation roadmap. The interactive sessions enabled prospective developers, contractors, and financial institutions to seek clarifications and provide valuable feedback that will help shape the project’s execution.
The conference witnessed participation from a broad spectrum of India’s infrastructure and logistics ecosystem. Prominent engineering and construction companies included Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Afcons Infrastructure, Tata Projects, IRCON International, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), RITES Limited, G R Infraprojects, Ashoka Buildcon, Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), Kalpataru Projects International, KEC International, GPT Infraprojects, Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd. (DRAIPL), GMR Group, and Hindalco Industries.
The logistics and freight sector was represented by organisations such as Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), Adani Road Transport Limited, and DP World, highlighting the industry’s keen interest in the project, which is expected to significantly improve freight movement across the country.
Infrastructure investors and advisory firms including National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), CDPQ India, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, EY, PwC, Siemens Financial Services, ICRA, CARE Ratings, CRISIL, and India Ratings & Research also participated, reflecting strong confidence in the project’s long-term economic potential.
The conference also attracted leading domestic and international financial institutions and development finance organisations. Representatives from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the World Bank, MUFG Bank, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Union Bank of India, UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL), Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), Power Finance Corporation (PFC), REC Limited, HUDCO, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), International Finance Corporation (IFC), New Development Bank (NDB), and YES Bank attended the conference.
The participation of such a diverse group of stakeholders underscored the growing investor confidence in the East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor and its potential to transform India’s freight transportation landscape.
Addressing the gathering, Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to implementing the corridor with speed through collaborative planning, innovative financing models, and focused execution. He appreciated the efforts of the finance and project teams for organising the conference and emphasised the importance of continued cooperation between government agencies, financial institutions, developers, and industry partners to achieve the project’s objectives.
The proposed East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor will stretch approximately 2,316 kilometres, connecting Surat in Gujarat with Dankuni in West Bengal. The corridor is expected to pass through six states and will substantially enhance freight transportation capacity while strengthening multimodal logistics integration across the country.
Once completed, the EWDFC is expected to reduce logistics costs, improve the efficiency of freight movement, increase rail’s share in cargo transportation, and support India’s manufacturing and export sectors. It will complement the existing Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors and play a crucial role in expanding the country’s high-capacity freight rail network.
DFCCIL said the stakeholder conference marks an important milestone in the implementation roadmap of the East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor and reinforces its commitment to developing world-class freight infrastructure that supports India’s economic growth, industrial competitiveness, and logistics efficiency.
