Just like freight corridors, India is also building economic and defence corridors for industries in the country, which would help in taking Indian infrastructure to the global standard, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while inaugurating 306-kilometre long Rewari-Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor on Thursday.
“It is the demand of time that India develops its infrastructure that matches the global standards. Today, connectivity of highway, airway and waterways are spread throughout the country. We are focusing on multimodal connectivity. Just like freight corridors, we are developing economic and defence corridors for industries,” said the Prime Minister. PM Modi said the growth of individual and industry in the country will have a positive impact on India’s image in the eyes of the global communities.
“The effect of this positive impact is witnessed in our surging foreign direct investment (FDI) and the global faith on India,” PM Modi stated. He also thanked ‘Japan and its people’ for standing with India as a trustworthy friend throughout its development journey.
“Throughout India’s development journey, Japan and its people have stood by us like a trustworthy friend. In the construction of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor as well, Japan provided us with financial and technological assistance,” he added.
PM Modi has flagged off the world’s first double-stack long haul container train by virtually inaugurating the Rewari-Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. It is the first double-stack long haul 1.5 km long container train to run on electric traction. The corridor will be used for the exclusive operation of freight trains, which will run at a maximum speed of 100 km/hour. The first train has been flagged off from New Ateli in Haryana to New Kishangarh in Rajasthan.
As per an official statement, the Rewari-Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is situated between Haryana and Rajasthan and consists of nine newly built DFC stations, in which six are crossing stations.
Earlier the 351-km New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on December 29, 2020.
Suzuki Satoshi, Ambassador of Japan to India, attended the ceremony and flagged off this project together with other dignitaries, a statement said.