An ambitious project to segregate passenger and freight trains, the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), took a major leap on Tuesday with demolitions along the alignment in Ayare village near Kopar in Thane district. The project will lead to freight trains crossing the Mumbai suburban corridor on elevated rail lines.

“Officials said that of the 273 families, 105 in the village have opted for cash compensation. Site clearance has begun by dismantling the vacated structures. Work on the JN Port-Vaitarna section will now speed up. The JN Port-Vaitarna section is about 100 km long, covering Raigad, Thane and Palghar districts,” a senior official said.