Indian Railways Plans Dedicated Network to Transport 340 Million Tonnes of Fly Ash Annually

Indian Railways is planning a major initiative to facilitate the large-scale transportation of fly ash from thermal power plants to industries across the country, supporting infrastructure development and advancing circular economy goals.

The proposal was reviewed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the presence of Ministers of State for Railways V. Somanna and Ravneet Singh Bittu. The initiative aims to create a dedicated logistics network using specialised containers and rail corridors to efficiently move fly ash for use in cement manufacturing, road construction, bricks, concrete blocks and other building materials.

India generates nearly 340 million tonnes of fly ash annually from thermal power plants. Through the proposed rail-based logistics system, this industrial by-product can be transported cleanly and efficiently to industries that use it as a valuable raw material.

The initiative is expected to reduce environmental burden around power plants, improve the availability of low-cost construction materials and support sustainable infrastructure development. By converting industrial waste into a productive resource, Indian Railways aims to play a key role in strengthening the country's circular economy and green logistics ecosystem.