Indian Railways has approved the Barbil-Bolanikhadan Doubling Project of South Eastern Railway with a completion cost of ₹122 crore. The 6 km doubling project is designed to strengthen rail infrastructure on an important mineral movement corridor and will facilitate additional freight traffic of 8.9 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) after commissioning while helping reduce delays to freight trains.
The Barbil-Bolanikhadan section has been identified under the "Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor" of Indian Railways. The existing single-line section currently carries approximately 9 MTPA, comprising about 6 loaded rakes per day of originating iron ore traffic. This traffic consists entirely of high-grade ore and pellets moving from SAIL's Bolani mines and private sidings (Rungta, Khatau Narbheram) to major steel plants and ports.
The project approval comes ahead of the full realization of SAIL's mine expansion and port/plant capacity additions, aiming to prevent capacity constraints in the designated mineral corridor. The work will support growing freight requirements, improve rail connectivity for movement of iron ore to steel plants and ports, and strengthen rail capacity as mining, industrial and port activities expand in the region. The doubling will also strengthen the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor and support smoother movement of freight on this important route.