Unlocking Infrastructure-Driven Growth In India: A Secondary Data Analysis Of Critical Determinants Shaping The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor

Abstract

India is a developing economy. The infrastructure plays a crucial role in socio-economic development and regional balance. The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) has been a flagship infrastructure project for ushering in industrial growth and regional integration. Through the WDFC, this study performs a secondary data analysis to determine the most significant factors shaping infrastructure-led growth. Based on examination of government reports, industry publications and policy documents, it identifies investment flows and new technology, infrastructure optimization, land acquisition and sustainability as key issue areas. The findings lead us to believe that while the WDFC shortens the time and cost of transporting freight, it also facilitates effective competition by connecting trade-related industrial centers with ports. The study also highlights the need for government regulatory frameworks and environmental safeguards to maintain longevity in the clean energy sectors as well as public-private partnerships. Analysis of secondary data indicates that effective implementation of the corridor will have large multimodal spillover effects, such as jobs, development throughout the region, and “Make in-India” support. Nonetheless, problems of funding, stakeholder alignment, and certain social aspects remain crucial. Together, these findings offer an empirical nuance of how an infrastructure megaproject like the WDFC can play a transformational role as a trigger of more broad-based and sustainable economic growth in India.