Indian Railways clears Rs 272 crore Adra-Joychandipahar bypass. Details

Indian Railways has approved an Rs 272 crore Adra-Joychandipahar bypass line in West Bengal to improve railway freight capacity and ease congestion on the existing network. The 11-km bypass will be built between the Adra end and Joychandipahar under South Eastern Railway. It will provide a dedicated route for freight movement and a bi-directional connection to the upcoming third line.

The project is expected to support 6.065 freight rakes per day as industrial traffic grows. It will also help address operational bottlenecks and delays caused by surface crossings along the Adra-Joychandipahar section.

ADRA-JOYCHANDIPAHAR BYPASS TO BOOST FREIGHT MOVEMENT

The Adra-Joychandipahar-Sanka bypass is planned to separate freight movement from existing operational constraints. According to the Ministry of Railways, the project will support SAIL's projected iron ore requirement of 23.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and BCCL's projection of 45 rakes per day.

The existing section faces bottlenecks linked to surface crossings and other operational constraints. The new bypass is intended to provide a smoother route for freight trains while making room for the expected rise in industrial traffic.

The project is also expected to create capacity for an additional 8.88 MTPA of freight traffic. The line capacity of the Joychandipahar-Adra section is projected to increase from 47.50% to 56.45% by 2028-29.

WHY THE RS 272 CRORE RAILWAY PROJECT MATTERS

The Rs 272 crore railway project comes as freight demand rises along the industrial corridor. The bypass will connect with the upcoming third line in both directions, helping separate freight operations and reduce congestion.

For Indian Railways, the project is aimed at improving the movement of industrial goods while making better use of the existing network. It is expected to particularly support mineral and industrial freight linked to major users such as SAIL and BCCL.