The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is a major infrastructure scheme and concept in India, involving the creation of a network of electric broad-gauge railway lines built exclusively for freight trains, separate from the existing passenger network. The project's origin lies in the mid-term appraisal of the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002–07), which suggested building DFCs on trunk routes to handle the projected rise in freight traffic. The primary problem it solves is the severe congestion on India's high-density rail routes, which previously forced freight and passenger traffic to share tracks, leading to slow average speeds of around 25 kmph for goods trains.
The mechanism works by separating freight from passenger traffic, allowing for the operation of heavier, longer, and faster trains, including double-stack container trains on the Western DFC (WDFC). This separation significantly improves operational efficiency and reduces transit times; for example, container trains on the WDFC can now travel from Delhi to Mumbai in 24-36 hours, compared to days on the old network. The project is implemented by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) incorporated in October 2006 under the Companies Act, 1956.
The DFC connects to the broader goal of increasing the rail sector's modal share of freight transport to 45% by 2030, as envisaged in the National Rail Plan. The two main corridors are the Eastern DFC (EDFC), spanning 1,337 km from Ludhiana (Punjab) to Sonnagar (Bihar), which became fully operational in 2023, and the Western DFC (WDFC), covering 1,506 km from Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Maharashtra) to Dadri (Uttar Pradesh). The WDFC was recently completed with the successful trial run on the final 102 km section between JNPT and New Saphale (Vaitarna) on March 31, 2026. Recent changes include the announcement in the Union Budget 2026-27 of plans to develop a new East-West DFC connecting Dankuni (West Bengal) to Surat (Gujarat).