Indian Railways constructing world's first electrified tunnel to run double stack containers

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) has recently conducted a tunnel-breaking ceremony was held on Friday on the completion of caving work for the one-kilometre long tunnel of 

Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) through Aravalli mountain range, near Sohna in Haryana.

The tunnel connects Mewat & Gurugram district of Haryana and negotiates a steep gradient on the uphill and downhill slope of the Aravalli range.

The D-shaped tunnel has a cross-sectional area of 150 square metres to accommodate double line with higher OHE (Over Head Equipment) to enable double stack container movement on WDFC.

"Passage breaking service denotes the finishing of the passage surrendering work at the WDFC's (Western Dedicated Freight Corridor) one-km-long passage through the Aravallis close Sohna in Haryana," actualizing office of the undertaking, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) stated, in an announcement. 

"This will be the world's originally energized rail burrow fit to run twofold stack holders. The last impacting of the passage, which is arranged on the Rewari-Dadri segment, was done today (Friday). This work has been finished in under a year's time," it expressed.

A



spokesperson said they are looking to complete it in "the next 12 months".

Cross-sectional area wise, it is one of the biggest railway tunnels in India. One end of the tunnel is near Rewari and is called Portal -1 or west portal while the other end of the tunnel at Dadri is designated 

as Portal -2 or east portal.

Double line electrified track for double stacks train movement, the dimension of tunnel 14.5 meter and 10.5 meter height in straight portion and 15 meter wide and 12.5 mtr. Height meter to provide extra 

clearance while negotiating the curve. 

"Tunnelling work has been done systematically and in a planned manner from both the ends by deploying high-tech man and machinery. This is the reason behind completing the caving work in a record 

one-year time," the DFCCIL said in the statement.

There are a total of six tunnels in both the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight In WDFC there are the 1 km long Sohna Tunnel, the 320 Metre long Vasai Detour North Tunnel and the 430 Metre long 

Vasai Detour South Tunnel. Likewise, the EDFC also has 3 tunnels measuring 150 Metre, 475 Metre and 300 Metre respectively in the SonnagarGomoh Section.