Raipur: Indian Railways has approved the 42-km Champa-Korba Third Line Project under South East Central Railway (SECR) at an estimated cost of ₹755 crore to augment rail capacity in the coal-rich region.
The project involves the construction of a third railway line between Champa and Korba, excluding the already sanctioned Madwarani-Saragbundia section. The Railway Ministry has identified this corridor under its Mission 3000 MT and High-Density Network initiatives to strengthen freight movement and support the country’s growing energy requirements.
Korba is home to several thermal power plants and serves as a major coal transportation hub. The Champa-Korba section connects the coalfields of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) with the national rail network and the Mumbai–Howrah High-Density Corridor.
Currently, the section handles around 10 pairs of passenger trains and approximately 55 pairs of freight trains every day. The combined coal production capacity of SECL and MCL stands at about 247 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) and is expected to increase to nearly 450 MTPA, adding around 200 MTPA of coal traffic in the coming years.
The third line project will significantly enhance carrying capacity, improve operational flexibility, and accelerate the movement of both freight and passenger trains.
Upon completion, the project will facilitate the operation of two additional passenger trains in each direction daily and support additional freight movement of 5.95 MTPA. It is expected to generate an additional annual net earning of ₹85 crore, including ₹82 crore from freight traffic and ₹3 crore from coaching services.
The project will also reduce the detention of freight trains, which currently face delays of around five minutes in each direction, resulting in estimated operational savings of ₹1.30 crore annually.
