A new Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT) was inaugurated at Brundamal in Jharsuguda district, marking a major step toward improving coal evacuation from the Talabira coal blocks and the Ib-Sardega mining belt. Developed on railway land under the East Coast Railway zone, it is the first multimodal cargo terminal of its kind in the region.
Construction of the facility began on July 5, 2023, and was completed within a year, on July 4, 2024. The terminal became operational for freight movement on September 20, with an annual handling capacity of 4.38 million tonnes.
According to an official statement from the Railways, the Brundamal terminal will play a key role in advancing the PM Gati Shakti initiative, aimed at strengthening integrated logistics and industrial connectivity. “The terminal will enable faster evacuation of coal and increase freight movement under the Sambalpur division,” the release said.
Officials added that the project is expected to significantly enhance Jharsuguda’s economic growth, improving logistics efficiency in the coal-rich Ib Valley region.
“This is the first multimodal cargo terminal built on railway land and connected directly to railway tracks,” said a Sambalpur division spokesperson. “While around 80% of the cargo will comprise coal from the Talabira mines, the remaining 20% will come from other coalfields in the Ib Valley.”
The new Brundamal GCT is expected to decongest road networks, lower transport costs, and strengthen the region’s role as a key hub in India’s growing coal and industrial logistics corridor.
