Railways approves ₹272 crore Adra-Joychandipahar bypass line

Indian Railways has approved the construction of an 11-kilometre bypass line between Adra end and Joychandipahar on South Eastern Railway, at a total cost of ₹272 crore, aimed at strengthening freight movement and easing congestion on the corridor.

The bypass will provide dedicated path segregation along with a bi-directional connection to the upcoming third line, enabling a projected movement of 6.065 freight rakes a day and supporting anticipated growth in industrial traffic. It is expected to particularly support freight tied to SAIL's 23.40 million tonne per annum iron ore demand and BCCL's projected requirement of 45 rakes a day.

The Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass is intended to eliminate existing operational bottlenecks and surface-crossing detentions on the Adra-Joychandipahar section. With the existing network currently operating at 71 per cent utilisation and freight speeds affected by conflicts at surface crossings, the new line is expected to improve operational efficiency and prevent further congestion as traffic grows.

Once complete, the project is expected to facilitate additional traffic of 8.88 million tonnes per annum. Line capacity utilisation on the Joychandipahar-Adra section, currently at 47.50 per cent, is projected to rise to 56.45 per cent by 2028-29.

The bypass forms part of the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor identified under Indian Railways' freight network planning. By adding capacity and enabling smoother freight movement, the project is intended to strengthen the transportation of industrial commodities and allow future traffic growth to translate into higher throughput, supporting more reliable, congestion-free freight movement on what the railways describes as a strategically important corridor.