**Executive Summary**
This notification, issued by the Ministry of Railways on May 20, 2026, officially designates the New Dedicated Freight Corridor as a "special railway project." Exercising powers under the Railways Act, 1989, the Central Government identifies the corridor connecting Dankuni in the east to Surat in the west. The notification is effective immediately from its date of publication in the Official Gazette.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Legal Authority and Classification**
* The Central Government exercised powers conferred by clause (37A) of section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989).
* The specified project is formally notified as a "special railway project."
* **Project Scope and Route**
* **Project Name:** New Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting Dankuni (East) to Surat (West).
* **Geographic Coverage:** The project spans six states: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
* **Timeline and Enforcement**
* The notification was issued in New Delhi on May 20, 2026.
* The provisions take effect from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Railways (Railway Board)**
**Impact**
The Ministry gains the formal legal status required to advance the New Dedicated Freight Corridor under the specific regulatory framework governing "special railway projects."
**Action Required**
The Executive Director (L&A) and the Railway Board must manage the implementation of the corridor in alignment with the designated legal provisions.
**State Governments (West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat)**
**Impact**
These specific states are identified as the jurisdictions through which the special railway project will pass, necessitating inter-governmental coordination.
**Action Required**
State authorities must prepare for administrative and logistical coordination regarding the project's development within their respective borders.
Key Entities Referenced
New Dedicated Freight Corridor (Dankuni to Surat): A major infrastructure initiative officially notified as a 'special railway project' to connect Dankuni in the east to Surat in the west.
Railways Act, 1989: The primary legislation, specifically Section 2 clause (37A), which grants the Central Government the power to notify specific infrastructure as special railway projects.
Ministry of Railways: The primary central authority and regulator (Railway Board) responsible for the issuance of the notification and the oversight of the project.
West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat: The collective states through which the proposed freight corridor will span and where the project's legal status is applicable.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-21052026-272780
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CG-DL-E-21052026-272780
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण्ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 2499] नई दिल्ली, बधु वार, मई 20, 2026/विै ाख 30, 1948
No. 2499] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2026/VAISAKHA 30, 1948
रेल मत्रं ालय
(रेलव ेबोडड)
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 20 मई, 2026
का.आ. 2591(अ).— केंद्रीय सरकार, रेल अजधजनयम, 1989 (1989 का24) की धारा2 के खंड(37A) द्वारा प्रित्त
िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, एतद्द्वारा जनम्नजलजखत अनुसूची के स्ट्तंभ (2) म ेंउजल्लजखत पररयोिना को, उि अनुसूची के स्ट्तंभ
(3) म ें उजल्लजखत राज्य स े संबंजधत, इस अजधसूचना के रािपत्र म ें प्रकािन की जतजि स े ‘जविेष रेलवे पररयोिना’ घोजषत
करती है।
3625 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
सारणी
क्रम सख्ं या पररयोिना का नाम राज्य
(1) (2) (3)
पूवड में डानकुनी को पजिम में सूरत स ेिोडने वाला पजिम बंगाल, झारखंड, ओजडिा, छत्तीसगढ़,
1.
नया समर्पडत मालवाहक गजलयारा महाराष्ट्र, गुिरात
[फा. सं. 2026/LML-II/13/7]
ऋजष गंगवार, कायडकारी जनिेिक (एल एंड ए)
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(Railway Board)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 20th May, 2026
S.O. 2591(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (37A) of section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989
(24 of 1989),the Central Government hereby notifies the following project, as special railway project, as mentioned in
column (2) of the Table below in the States mentioned in corresponding column (3) of the said Table, with effect from
the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, namely:-
Table
SI. No. Name of Project States
(1) (2) (3)
(1) New Dedicated Freight Corridor connecting West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha,
Dankuni in the east to Surat in the west.
Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra,Gujarat.
[F. No. 2026/LML-II/13/7]
RISHI GANGWAR, Executive Director (L&A)
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.