October 12, 2008

CCEA approves East and West rail freight corridor

It is reported that Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the dedicated multi modal high axle load freight corridor project on the Eastern and Western Corridor at an estimated total cost of INR 28,181 crore.

On the eastern side, the corridor will stretch from Ludhiana to Sonnagar, while on the western side, the corridor will connect Jawaharlal Nehru Port near Mumbai to Tughlakabad Dadri near Delhi. The Eastern Corridor will start from Ludhiana in Punjab and terminate at Sonnagar via Ambala, Sharanpur, Khurja and Allahabad. However, the Eastern Corridor will be extended up to the proposed port near Kolkata.

RITES is conducting a pre feasibility study of Sonnagar to Kolkata portion of the Eastern Corridor and CCEA will be approached for the approval of the extension project after completion of the study.

The project will benefit ports, exporters, importers, shipping lines and container operators on the western corridor and coal companies, steel plants and thermal power stations on the eastern corridor.