Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor to the nation in Vadodara on September 8. The Sanand North–Makarpura, New Umbergaon–New Saphale and New Saphale–JNPT stretches cover 326 route kilometres and were developed at a cost of more than ₹20,700 crore. Their commissioning makes the Dedicated Freight Corridor network fully operational and gives the western corridor direct access to Jawaharlal Nehru Port.
Dedicated freight tracks can move heavier and longer trains without competing with passenger services for scarce rail capacity. That can reduce transit time, lower logistics costs and improve port evacuation. The JNPT connection is especially important for EXIM cargo.