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!