AAKASHVANI.IN

KORBA: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) has added a second dedicated railway rake at its Korba yard to strengthen the movement of alumina to its smelter complex and support its production expansion plans.

The company has inducted a second Bogie Tank Alumina Powder (BTAP) M-1 (B12) rake under the Indian Railways’ Liberalised Special Freight Train Operator (LSFTO) scheme. The initiative is aimed at ensuring a more reliable supply of alumina, reducing dependence on road transportation and improving overall logistics efficiency.

Alumina is a key raw material for aluminium production and large quantities are transported to BALCO’s smelters in Korba, located around 220 km from Raipur. Any disruption in the inbound movement of the raw material can affect production schedules, inventory management and downstream dispatches.

The addition of the second dedicated rake comes as BALCO works towards achieving a production capacity of one million tonnes per annum. The move reflects the company’s efforts to scale up its logistics infrastructure in line with its growing production requirements.

Under the LSFTO scheme, dedicated freight operations provide greater flexibility for the movement of bulk industrial materials. For BALCO, increased rail-based transportation is expected to reduce reliance on road movement while ensuring a more predictable and efficient supply chain.

The shift towards rail logistics is also significant from an environmental perspective. Transportation of bulk cargo through rail can help reduce road traffic and associated carbon emissions. The initiative is aligned with Vedanta’s broader sustainability goals, including its ambition of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.

With the addition of the second dedicated rake, BALCO is strengthening not only its smelting and production capabilities but also the logistics network required to support uninterrupted operations. The move underlines the growing importance of efficient, reliable and lower-carbon transportation in India’s aluminium industry.