Japan committed Rs 130 crore for the Rs 26,000-crore Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) project linking Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai to Dadri near the National Capital. The Japanese Ambassador to India, Hideaki Domichi, confirmed that the feasibility study between Rewari and Vadodara for the first phase of WDFC has been launched.

Tenders for the first phase of the 1,500-km-long corridor, to be used exclusively for cargo movement, are likely to be floated in the next six to eight months. Domichi said: “We have launched the feasibility study between Rewari and Vadodara for phase one. We have committed 450 billion Japanese yen (Rs 130 crore) assistance for the same.”

The complete project is expected to be commissioned by 2016-17.

V K Kaul, Managing Director, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCI), said after the signing of the agreement for engineering services loan: “The agreement for the Rs 130 crore loan was signed today for preparation of model bid documents and tender for phase one of the project. The cost to link Rewari and Vadodara is Rs 18,000 crore.”

The government had set up the special purpose vehicle — DFCCI — under the Ministry of Railways to execute the project that will also include a 3,300-km railway network exclusively for cargo.

Kaul added: “The total cost of WDFC is Rs 26,000 crore with 80 per cent assistance from Japan. An independent freight corridor for the transport sector will boost the economic growth of the country.”