The Ministry of Railways is planning to invite bids for the phase I of the Western Freight Corridor by May 2013.

The Ministry is intending to construct 1,483 km Western Freight Corridor under two phases as a part of strategy to de-congest freight lines and accommodate the growing industrial traffic.

Phase I of the project involves construction of 920 km Rewari-Vadodara stretch. The development of 640-km project-part of the 920 km Rewari-Vadodara stretch- requires an approval from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to begin financial bidding. JICA is the funding agency for the project.

The 640-km project on the Western Corridor is likely to go to either the consortium between Japan's Sojitz Corp and Larsen & Toubro or Mitsui, Ircon and Leighton.

The Western Freight Corridor is a part of Freight Corridor project being developed by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL). The Freight Corridor project is aiming to connect the important freight lanes between Delhi and Mumbai in the West and Ludhiana and Dankuni in the East. It will be the second project along the 3,322-km Dedicated Freight Corridor to be put on the block.

Earlier, in January the Central Government had awarded the first project-343-km of the 1,839-km Eastern Corridor-to Tata-Aldesa JV. The work estimated to cost Rs 3,300 crore on Kanpur-Khurja section is expected to be completed by June 2013.

Meanwhile, the Central Government plans to invite bids for about 1,500 km of freight corridor lines by the end of this fiscal, most of which will be in the western corridor. Of the 1,500 km, 950-1,000 km will be from the western corridor while 400 km will be from the eastern corridor.

The project estimated to cost Rs 19,486.20 crore is likely to reduce CO2 emission by 450 million tonne over the next 30 years. DFFCIL has already acquired 90 per cent required land for the project.

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