The revised cost includes Rs 266.7bn for construction of the Eastern DFC and Rs 461.8bn for the Western DFC, and land acquisition costs of Rs 80.7bn. The balance is for interest payments on loans. The revised figures exclude the 534km Sonnagar - Dankuni section which will be implemented as a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

 

The government also confirmed the funding arrangements for the DFCs. Rs 523.5bn will be borrowed from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the World Bank, while the equity requirement from the Ministry of Railways including land is Rs 238bn.

So far, 84% of land has been acquired. Design-build civil-works and other related contracts worth in excess of Rs 200bn have been awarded for 1526km of new line on the two corridors and 54 bridges on the Western DFC. Contracts for the balance of the civil works and the signalling and electrification packages are at an advanced stage of tendering.

The two DFCs will be completed in phases from 2017 to 2019. The Eastern DFC is expected to carry 153 million tonnes of freight in 2021-22, rising to 251 million tonnes by 2036-37, while the Western DFC is forecast to carry 161 million tonnes in 2021-22, increasing to 284 million tonnes in 2036-37.