Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world's first double-stack long-haul contained train of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) and dedicated its launch to the nation.
The 306-km New Rewari-New Madar section will be hauled by electric traction and this dedicated freight corridor project is being seen as a game-changer for India in the 21st century, the PM said in a virtual address.
"After the hard work of the last five to six years, today a big portion of it (project) has become a reality," he said.
"The 'mahayagya' to modernise the country's infrastructure today gained a new momentum," he added.
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Modi also mentioned a wide range of projects launched in the last two weeks which reflected national capabilities and were dedicated to India.
"A few days back, India approved two Made in India corona vaccines. India's own vaccine has given new confidence to the countrymen," Modi said.
"Today the call of every Indian is that neither do we stop, nor do we get tired. We will all move faster," he said.
Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.
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The New Rewari-New Madar section of the WDFC is situated in Haryana (approximately 79 km in Mahendragarh and Rewari districts) and Rajasthan (approximately 227 km in Jaipur, Ajmer, Sikar, Nagaur and Alwar districts).
The opening of this stretch will benefit various industries in the Rewari, Manesar, Narnaul, Phulera and Kishangarh areas of Haryana and Rajasthan and also enable a better usage of the container depot of the CONCOR at Kathuwas, officials said.
With PTI inputs
