Experts laud first-of-its-kind control room for Western Freight Corridor

Hyderabad: The operations control centre (OCC) of the 1,506 km-long Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), has been inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. It is being touted as a pioneering initiative in India for monitoring and regulating train operations from a centralized location, experts noted.

Constructed at Rs 280 crore in Ahmedabad, the OCC boasts the latest train controlling and monitoring mechanisms, enabling the tracking of all freight trains along the route from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT in Gujarat.

Currently, the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) is functional from Dadri to Sanand in Gujarat, with approximately 200 freight trains operating daily at an average speed of about 60 km, according to DFC officials.

"This marks a significant milestone for the country and the freight train operations in India. The control room serves as the nerve center, allowing real-time monitoring of train positions and issuing instructions accordingly," stated an expert associated with the DFC. "Our train controllers stationed here can observe train locations across the route and address issues such as track conditions, signal faults, overhead wire problems, and loco pilot efficiency in real time."

Railway officials mentioned that a similar OCC has been established for the 1,337 km-long Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor. The eastern and western DFCs have revolutionized freight train operations in India, being dedicated solely to freight operations, officials highlighted.

"For the first time in India, freight trains are operating at speeds comparable to premier passenger trains like Rajdhani and Vande Bharat. Freight trains achieve an average speed of around 22 km per hour on passenger train routes, as passenger trains are given priority," an official explained.

The prime minister will also inaugurate the 401-km new Khurja Junction-Sanehwal section of the EDFC and the 224-km new Makarpura Junction-Gholvad section of the WDFC. "The WDFC is operational from Dadri to Sanand (N), with the section between Sanand and New Makarpura currently underway," the official stated. "The final section from New Gholvad to JNPT is also in progress." Sanand (N) and New Makarpura are expected to be completed within a month, facilitating direct train operations from Dadri to Gholvad.

Experts believe the DFCs will play a crucial role in reducing route congestion and benefiting passenger train operations. This is expected to lead to enhancements in the safety and efficiency of passenger train services, they concluded.