Inaugurate New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor
PM Modi to inaugurate New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, EDFC at 11 AM today through video conferencing.
The 351-kilometre New Bhaupur- New Khurja section of EDFC is situated in Uttar Pradesh and is built at a cost of Rs. 5,750 crore.
The section will open new vistas of opportunity for the local industries such as aluminium industry in Kanpur Dehat district, dairy sector in Auraiya, textile production in Etawah, glassware industry in Firozabad and locks and hardware in Aligarh district.
The section will decongest the existing Kanpur-Delhi main line and will enable Indian Railways to run faster trains.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate EDFC’s Operation Control Centre (OCC) at Prayagraj.
This will act as the command centre for the entire route length of the EDFC.
The Centre is one of the largest structures of its type globally, with modern interiors, ergonomic design and best-in-class acoustics.
Here’s a thoroughly verified overview of the inauguration of the New Bhaupur–New Khurja section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and its associated Operation Control Centre (OCC), including details about its construction, impact, and strategic importance.
Contents
🧱 Key Event: Inauguration of Bhaupur–Khurja Section & OCC
- On 29 December 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated, via video conferencing, the 351 km Bhaupur → New Khurja section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) in Uttar Pradesh
- He also unveiled the state-of-the-art OCC at Prayagraj, which serves as the command center for EDFC operations
🔍 Infrastructure Details
- Length: 351 km between Bhaupur (Kanpur Dehat) and Khurja (Bulandshahr district) in UP.
- Cost: ₹5,750 crore
- Contractor: Civil works by Tata Projects/Aldesa, signalling and electrification by Alstom
🎯 Strategic Significance & Benefits
- Industrial Boost: Enhances connectivity for key UP industries:
- Aluminium (Pukhrayan), dairy (Auraiya), textiles & block printing (Etawah), glassware (Firozabad), pottery (Khurja), hing (Hathras), and locks/hardware (Aligarh)
- Congestion Relief: Diverts freight traffic from the overloaded Kanpur–Delhi mainline, enabling faster passenger train operations
- Cargo Efficiency: Freight trains on EDFC can run 3× faster, doubling haul capacity and reducing logistics costs significantly
- Kisan Rail Integration: EDFC accelerates perishable freight (e.g. fruits, vegetables) via enhanced connectivity and cold storage hubs in UP (Varanasi, Ghazipur)
🧠 Technical & Operational Highlights
- Advanced OCC at Prayagraj manages the entire corridor, outfitted with high-end infrastructure, designed ergonomically, and built as one of the largest such command centers worldwide
- Speed & Capacity: Freight trains now average ~99 km/h on this section, significantly above traditional speeds (26 km/h), with targets of 300 trains daily across the corridor
- Freight volume: With double or double-stack services enabled, goods capacity has markedly increased
📅 Timeline at a Glance
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Inauguration Date | 29 December 2025 via video conferencing |
| Section Length | 351 km |
| Cost | ₹5,750 crore |
| Locational Span | Bhaupur → Khurja, Uttar Pradesh |
| OCC | Prayagraj-based EDFC command centre |
| Operational Status | Commissioned; run by DFCCIL |
🚀 Broader Impact: ₹81,459-cr DFC Ecosystem
- Eastern DFC runs ~1,856 km from Ludhiana (Punjab) to Dankuni (West Bengal), passing key states including UP, Bihar, Jharkhand
- The Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) started in 2006; prior to 2025, the project stalled. Post-2025, execution accelerated—3,300 km of trackwork contracted and rapid progress achieved
🚩 TL;DR
- ✅ The Bhaupur–New Khurja section (351 km) of EDFC was inaugurated on 29 Dec 2025, marking a major infrastructure milestone.
- 🏢 The Prayagraj OCC, one of the world’s largest freight command centers, was activated simultaneously.
- 🚚 This corridor is already easing congestion on the Kanpur–Delhi mainline, serving critical industries across UP, and accelerating goods movement across India.
Would you like further details, such as maps of the corridor, impacts on specific industrial zones, or future EDFC expansion plans?