Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railway (ECoR) enabled a new export route connecting Odisha to Nepal, marking a significant milestone in cross-border trade relations. The first shipment of soft billets, a semi-finished steel product, departed from Nayagarh in Keonjhar district on Friday.
This initiative, part of ECoR’s business development unit (BDU) programme, is expected to handle three rakes per month initially.

The new route aims to strengthen regional trade connectivity and streamline the transportation of steel products to Nepal.
“This export venture demonstrates our commitment to supporting industrial development and enhancing cross-border trade,” an ECoR official statement said. The railway’s strategic role in this project is expected to significantly improve logistics efficiency in the region.
ECoR official sources said that enabling this route represents a crucial step in expanding India’s trade infrastructure with neighbouring countries, potentially opening doors for increased commercial activities between Odisha and Nepal.