India: CPCS empowers freight operator to run rail corridor

Tailored action plan aims to make two dedicated freight corridors the best railway network in the country.
The challenge
The Ministry of Railways in India tasked the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. (DFCCIL) to reduce pressure on the country’s increasingly strained rail network.
How? By constructing two dedicated freight corridors (DFC) that spans the eastern and western regions of the country. Combining for 3,599 route-kilometres, the DFC will improve India’s rail capacity, reduce transit times and lower transport costs.
What’s left is to equip the DFCCIL with a solid managerial and operational strategy so that the DFC can deliver on its promise. The ministry hired CPCS to do just that.
“The Indian government is keen on making this a success story,” says Anurag Gumber, infrastructure development expert at CPCS. “The DFC is crucial for economic development and environmental preservation.”
What we did
CPCS thoroughly reviewed these aspects of the DFC:
- Operational systems and processes
- Management and organizational structure
- Human resource planning and development
- Maintenance routine
The review led CPCS to compile an action plan. The plan includes recommendations on capacity building, skills development, process re-engineering, management processes and company organization.
“We modelled our suggestions based on the practices of other successful railway operators,” adds Anurag.
Impact
CPCS presented the action plan to the DFCCIL Managing Director and management team in February 2019.