Dedicated freight corridor as a low carbon transport strategy: a case of Delhi Howrah dedicated freight corridor

Abstract

There is a growing awareness and concern today about the anthropogenic changes in the climate which may be dangerous to the survival of life on earth. As the world economy grows, the adverse impact of the growth may be too harsh on the climate. Transportation is an important component of the economy and fuels the engines of economic growth. Transport has a key role to play within solutions to climate change as current transport policies and structures are responsible for extreme pressures on energy resources and ecosystems. The future strategies of transport development would have to be sustainable and climate friendly. Railways present a low carbon mode of transport. India has seen an unparalleled economic growth in the past couple of decades. Indian transport sector has correspondingly expanded but with a skewed shift to the expansion of road sector even in the freight transportation segment where Railways could offer more efficient and environmental friendly mode of transport. Indian Railways has setup a Special Purpose Vehicle in the form of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited with the aim of Freight capacity expansion of Railways and improve freight services by constructing dedicated freight corridors on the eastern and western routes. A dedicated freight corridor will not only lead to capacity expansion and betterment of freight services but also will lead to lower Green House Gas(GHG) emissions by arresting the modal shift of freight from rail to road. As the traffic on this route will increase over the years, construction and operation of Dedicated Freight Corridor on this route is expected to reduce the GHG emission levels by as much as about 75% in2034-35. Construction of dedicated freight corridors on high density routes would reduce the GHG emission levels to a great extent and would be a part of low carbon transport mobility solution in the country.