Business Development Unit (BDU) Unit Formed in Eastern Railway to Enhanced Freight Traffic
Business Development Unit (BDU) Unit Formed in Eastern Railway to Enhanced Freight Traffic
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT UNIT FORMED IN ER TO ENHANCE FREIGHT TRAFFIC
A Business Development Unit (BDU) has been formed at Eastern Railway Headquarters, to offer prospective customers of Freight Traffic for loading of miscellaneous non-bulk goods enhancing their Rail transportation share of traditional commodities as well as introducing new commodities for transporting through Railways.
SRI NITIN BANSAL, Chief Freight Transportation Manager (CFTM) [Mob.9002020902], Eastern Railway is the Co-Ordinator of the Zonal Team and is available at Eastern Railway Headquarters, Fairlie Place, Kolkata – 700001.
Similar Business Development Units have been formed in all the four divisions of Eastern Railway with Sr. Divisional Operations Manager (Sr. DOM) as Nodal Officer. The Name &contact Nos. of Divisional Nodal Officers are as follows:
- Amarendra Kumar Maurya, Sr. DOM/MLDT (9002024900)
- Shantanu Chakraborty, Sr. DOM/ASN (9002023900)
- Sourav Dey, Sr. DOM/SDAH (9002021900)
- Raushan Kumar, Sr. DOM/HWH (9002022900)
Interested Business Houses & Merchants may contact the Zonal Co-Ordinator and Divisional Co-Ordinators for further information. They may also send proposals for New streams of Traffic and /or for increasing the volume of Rail Transport of present traffic for further action to the Co-Ordinators of respective BDUs.
Here’s an in-depth look at the Business Development Unit (BDU) set up by Eastern Railway (ER) to boost and diversify freight traffic:
Contents
🧠 What Is the ER‑BDU?
- In July 2025, Indian Railway Board directed all zonal railways to establish Business Development Units at both Headquarters and Divisional levels. Eastern Railway complied by setting up a zonal BDU at Fairlie Place, Kolkata—headed by Chief Freight Transportation Manager Nitin Bansal—plus BDUs in each of its four divisions: Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol, and Malda
- Each divisional BDU is coordinated by a Senior Divisional Operations Manager (Sr DOM), fostering direct engagement with industry and commerce stakeholders
🎯 Primary Goals
- Grow Rail Share in Freight
Focus on both traditional bulk cargo and emerging non-bulk segments like finished goods, small consignments, agricultural products, and exports - Track Modal Shift Opportunities
Encourage businesses to choose rail over trucking by offering competitive discount schemes, efficient operations, and personalized negotiations - Serve as a One‑Stop Shop
BDUs act as nodal points for industries to submit proposals, explore new traffic streams, and receive fast-track operational support
🚀 Tangible Impacts & Milestones
- In 2025, Eastern Railway reported record-breaking freight loading of 80.45 million tonnes—significantly exceeding volumes from two decades ago—and credited BDUs along with Gati Shakti freight terminals for the surge
- December 2025 alone saw freight loading of 8.50 million tonnes, with revenue rising nearly 28% year-on-year. BDUs were cited as a key driver behind exploring new commodities and routes, such as stone chips from Dumka
- Example successes captured by BDUs:
- Sand traffic from Asansol division
- Fly ash from Sagardighi and Kahalgaon plants
- Containerized exports and agro-commodity traffic—e.g. onion & maize consignments to Bangladesh, steel scrap movement to Bokaro via Asansol, and rice exports via Haldia port
📋 Summary Table
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Setup Date | July 2025 (zonal & divisional levels) |
| Zonal Head | CFTM Nitin Bansal, Kolkata HQ |
| Divisional Nodes | Sr DOMs at Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol & Malda divisions |
| Main Focus | Boost freight volume, diversify cargo types, expedite new proposals |
| Operational Practices | Regular engagement with trade bodies and proactive marketing |
| Key Outcomes | New traffic streams secured—fly ash, sand, steel scrap, export containers |
| Latest Results | 80.45 MT freight loading (FY 2025–24); Dec 2025 saw 8.50 MT, +28% revenue growth |
🧭 Why It Matters
- Shift from passive to proactive customer engagement: BDUs transform ER from a passive freight handler to an active service provider—tailoring proposals, incentives, and operations to industry needs.
- Enabling new commodity flows: BDUs have broken traditional confines by facilitating exports and specialized small‑cargo traffic, previously neglected by mainstream bulk freight operations.
- Strategic contribution to revenue & modal share: Record tonnage and revenue growth underscore the effectiveness of BDUs in reversing freight stagnation and nudging employers away from trucks.
Would you like further insights on how to contact a BDU nodal officer, understand discount schemes, or submit a proposal for cargo movement under Eastern Railway? Happy to help!