The Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd. (IPRCL) has decided to take up 20 railway projects across eight major ports entailing an investment of Rs. 7,636.15cr. According to IPRCL, it has completed the pre-feasibility study of a heavy haul rail corridor from Ib Valley-Talcher to Paradip and Dhamra to evacuate coal mines of Mahanadi Coal Ltd. (MCL) to the ports for shipping them to the southern states through the coastal route. IPRCL also said that the company has already started rail infrastructure modernization in Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai, Tuticorin, and New Mangalore ports. On this score, rail infrastructure expansion and modernization works are likely to commence from April 2017 in Kandla and JNPT ports and in Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). The company has also taken up the task of preparing DPR for Rail and Road connectivity of the proposed Major Port at Colachel (Enayam) in Tamil Nadu, the port corporation said in an official statement.