Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi has informed that National Mineral Policy, 2019 inter alia provides that dedicated mineral corridors shall be planned to facilitate transport of minerals from mining areas in hinterland alongwith encouraging the local evacuation networks to be built in an integrated manner.
Ministry of Railways has sanctioned construction of two dedicated freight corridors (DFC); i.e. Eastern and Western DFCs. Further, MoR has decided to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the following three new Dedicated Freight Corridors:
(i) East-Coast Corridor (Kharagpur to Vijayawada:1115 KM)
(ii) East-West Sub-corridor
(a) (Palghar-Bhusawal-Nagpur–Kharagpur-Dankuni : 2163 KM and
(b) Rajkharsawan-Kalipahari-Andal : 195 KM)
(iii) North-South Sub-corridor (Vijayawada-Nagpur-Itarsi : 975 KM)
Maximum moving dimensions on DFC will be more liberal and comparable to world standards to permit heavier and longer trains. The DPRs for the DFCs are prepared by aligning the requirement of evacuation of minerals also from the hinterland.