Indian Railways has approved a ₹272-crore project for the construction of an 11-km bypass line between Adra and Joychandipahar in the South Eastern Railway zone, aimed at strengthening freight movement and easing operational bottlenecks along the route. The project is expected to improve rail capacity and support the growing movement of industrial commodities.
The project, known as the Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass, will provide dedicated path segregation and a bi-directional connection to the upcoming third line. This is expected to enable smoother movement of freight trains and reduce conflicts with other train operations on the existing network.
The bypass is projected to facilitate the movement of around 6.065 freight rakes per day, catering to rising industrial traffic in the region. It will particularly support freight requirements linked to Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), which has an iron ore demand of 23.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), as well as Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), which has projected a requirement of 45 freight rakes per day.
A key objective of the project is to address operational bottlenecks and surface-crossing detentions on the Adra-Joychandipahar section. The existing network is operating at around 71 per cent utilisation, while surface-crossing conflicts have affected the efficiency and speed of freight operations. The new bypass is expected to reduce such constraints and improve overall network utilisation.
Once completed, the project is expected to facilitate an additional 8.88 MTPA of traffic, creating additional capacity for the movement of industrial commodities. The capacity of the Joychandipahar-Adra section, currently at 47.50 per cent, is projected to increase to 56.45 per cent by 2028-29.
The bypass forms part of the Energy, Mineral and Cement Corridor identified by Indian Railways. By creating an additional freight route and reducing congestion on the existing alignment, the project is expected to support the movement of key industrial commodities and accommodate future growth in freight traffic.
The approval is part of Indian Railways’ broader efforts to expand network capacity and improve freight efficiency through targeted infrastructure projects. The Adra-Joychandipahar bypass is expected to strengthen the freight infrastructure of the corridor while providing a more efficient and reliable route for industrial traffic.