Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India’s largest container port, is set to be connected to the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) by March 31, 2026, an official said on Monday. The long-awaited linkage is expected to significantly enhance cargo evacuation capacity and improve logistics efficiency at the port.
The connectivity will integrate JNPA with the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, enabling faster and more reliable movement of containers to key industrial and consumption centres in northern and western India. Officials said the project would help reduce transit time, ease congestion on road networks, and lower overall logistics costs for exporters and importers.
Once operational, freight trains from JNPA will be able to directly access the DFC network, allowing seamless movement of goods to destinations such as Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, and other major hinterland markets. The port currently handles a substantial share of India’s container traffic, and the DFC connection is expected to further strengthen its role as a major trade gateway.
The government has been prioritising last-mile connectivity projects to ports under its logistics and infrastructure development programmes, aiming to improve India’s global trade competitiveness. The JNPA–DFC link is seen as a critical component of this broader strategy.