The MoU was signed on May 29, 2026, at SECL Headquarters in Bilaspur with senior officials from both SECL and KRCL in attendance. This partnership focuses on developing key rail corridors to improve coal evacuation capacity and logistics efficiency, supporting SECL’s plans for future production growth.
SECL, the second-largest coal-producing subsidiary of Coal India Limited, will leverage KRCL’s expertise in railway infrastructure development, operations, and execution. Projects will be implemented under the Development Partner (DP) Model and Hybrid Annuity Model of Indian Railways.
Key rail lines identified for development include: – The approximately 52-km Dipka–Gatora rail line – The 37-km Karonji–Madan Nagar corridor, with plans for future extension towards Bishrampur – The 14-km Amlai–Rampur Batura rail line
These corridors aim to unlock the production potential of existing and upcoming mining projects, while ensuring efficient coal transportation to thermal power plants and industrial consumers throughout India.
The upgraded rail infrastructure is expected to reduce transport bottlenecks, lower reliance on road transport, and promote more sustainable logistics. Additionally, the initiative may improve connectivity in remote and tribal areas of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, fostering regional development and potentially enabling future passenger rail services.
Senior SECL officials present at the MoU signing included CMD Shri Harish Duhan, Directors Sunil Gupta (Operations & Commercial), N. Franklin Jayakumar (Technical Operations), D. Sunil Kumar (Finance), and General Manager (Siding) Ashok Kumar Pattanaik. Representatives from Konkan Railway Corporation Limited also participated.
With coal remaining a crucial part of India’s energy mix, this collaboration is strategically important to ensuring uninterrupted supply to power and industrial sectors. SECL and KRCL will work closely with the Ministry of Railways and other stakeholders for smooth project execution and explore long-term cooperation through joint ventures and consortium models.
This partnership underscores SECL’s commitment to developing efficient, future-ready transportation infrastructure that supports India’s growing energy needs while driving regional economic growth.
