Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Modi inaugurates freight corridor, attacks Congress over development record
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at a programme in Vadodara, Gujarat.
He opened important parts of a special railway route for carrying goods.
The route connects a major port near Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
Freight trains can now use separate tracks instead of sharing them with passenger trains.
Modi said this can make both freight and passenger travel faster.
He also said the project could reduce fuel use, transport costs and travel times.
Modi praised his government's railway work and criticized the earlier Congress-led government.
He used the phrase “Naraz Fufa” for people who question the project's benefits.
He also said India should help young people become experts in artificial intelligence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in Vadodara.
The Rs 35,000-crore programme included development projects and new freight and passenger train services.
Modi said India built about 50,000 modern rail coaches after 2014, while the previous Congress-led regime could not build 50,000 toilets in 10 years.
The completed 2,800-kilometre freight corridor connects Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
Modi said the Eastern and Western corridors would speed freight movement, reduce costs and strengthen trade and business.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the previous Congress-led regime and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whom Modi appeared to reference without naming.
- What
- Modi inaugurated three sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, launched or laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 35,000 crore, and criticized the previous government's development record.
- When
- Tuesday, September 8; the year is not specified in the articles.
- Where
- At a programme in Vadodara, Gujarat; the freight corridor connects Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The corridor is intended to separate freight and passenger traffic, accelerate goods movement, reduce costs and support trade; Modi also used the event to promote his government's development record.
Government's position
Critics' concerns
Development record
Government's position
Modi said his government accelerated infrastructure work after 2014 and built about 50,000 modern rail coaches.
Critics' concerns
Modi characterized the previous Congress-led regime as too slow, saying it could not build 50,000 toilets in 10 years and that freight-corridor files had stalled before 2014.
Impact on trucking
Government's position
Modi said the freight corridor would move goods faster, reduce fuel use and lower freight costs.
Critics' concerns
Modi anticipated questions about what the corridor would mean for truck drivers and trucks, referring to those critics as “Naraz Fufa.”
Political messaging
Government's position
Modi said the government was focused on manufacturing, energy, infrastructure and preparing young people for artificial intelligence.
Critics' concerns
Modi warned that initiatives such as Rahul Gandhi's “Chhatron Ki Goonj” outreach could be accompanied by what he called “Jhooth Ki Goonj,” or an echo of lies.
- Project value
- Projects worth Rs 35,000 crore were inaugurated or launched at the Vadodara programme.
- Freight corridor length
- The Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors together span 2,800 kilometres.
- Western corridor route
- The completed Western corridor connects Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai with Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
- Sections inaugurated
- Three key sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor were inaugurated.
- Rail coaches
- Modi said about 50,000 modern rail coaches had been manufactured since 2014.
- Freight operations
- Modi said more than 430 freight trains operate daily on the Eastern and Western corridors.
- Project history
- The freight-corridor idea began in 2004, a special company was established in 2006, and Modi said implementation accelerated after 2014.
