THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA.COM| Noida | March 31, 2026 |In a significant step towards operationalising high-capacity freight infrastructure, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited has conducted a trial run on the newly electrified double-line section between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) and Vaitarna. The trial has been undertaken under the leadership and guidance of the Managing Director, DFCCIL.

The occasion was graced by Shobhit Bhatnagar, Director/OP&BD; Anurag Sharma, Director/Infrastructure; M. K. Awasthy, ED/Infrastructure; Sandesh Srivastava, ED/Projects; Vikas Srivastava, GGM/S&T; Ran Vijay Singh, GGM/Electrical; Amit Saurastri, GM/CC; and H. G. Tiwari, CGM/Mumbai, along with other senior officers and the dedicated DFCCIL team.

The successful trial run of freight trains marks the completion of the entire Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) on 31st March 2026, with operations carried out on the JNPT–New Saphale (Vaitarna) section. A container train in the down direction (JNPT – New Saphale) departed at 11:50 hrs, hauled by an electric locomotive, while in the up direction (New Saphale – a JNPT), a container train also departed at 11:50 hrs, powered by a diesel locomotive.

The trial run focused on evaluating key technical and operational parameters, including track stability, behaviour of long welded rails under load, efficiency of overhead electrification systems, locomotive performance, signalling coordination, and safe movement of rolling stock. It also enabled assessment of integration between mainline and loop line operations, which is crucial for seamless freight handling.

With uninterrupted end-to-end connectivity now established, train operations will become significantly more efficient, requiring fewer sets ((1 in place of 3)) of crew between New Makarpura and New JNPT due to reduced operational handovers and streamlined running. Additionally, freight trains will experience a reduction of nearly four hours in transit time, enabling faster turnaround of rolling stock, improved asset utilisation, enhanced schedule reliability, and greater capacity for handling increased freight volumes.