Centre Clears AMNS Slurry Pipeline Through Odisha, Boosting State’s Role in Eastern Steel Corridor
Project to enhance mineral logistics, reduce carbon footprint, and strengthen Odisha’s position as a key industrial transit hub
Bhubaneswar : In a move that strengthens Odisha’s strategic importance in India’s mineral and steel supply chain, the Ministry of Steel has approved ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India’s (AMNS India) proposal to build a major iron ore slurry pipeline that will pass through Odisha while connecting Chhattisgarh to Andhra Pradesh. The pipeline will transport iron ore to AMNS India’s upcoming integrated steel plant at Anakapalle in Visakhapatnam district.
The approval, granted under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962, authorises the company to secure the right of way across all three states. For Odisha—home to some of India’s richest iron ore reserves—the clearance underscores the state’s growing role as a critical transit and processing hub for major metal and mining projects.
The slurry pipeline will offer an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable alternative to road and rail transport, reducing congestion and lowering the carbon footprint associated with mineral evacuation. Odisha, which handles massive mineral traffic every year, is expected to benefit from reduced road burden and improved environmental outcomes as more industries shift toward pipeline-based logistics.
Officials and industry experts say the project could also catalyse new investments in Odisha’s mineral corridors, especially along districts bordering Chhattisgarh and northern Andhra Pradesh. The state already supplies iron ore to several steel and pellet plants, and improved logistics are likely to attract additional downstream industries.
The pipeline approval marks a key milestone in the rollout of AMNS India’s ambitious 17 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant at Anakapalle, with the first phase planned at 8.2 MTPA. The project—one of India’s largest greenfield steel plants—promises cutting-edge features such as energy-efficient furnaces, water recycling systems, and advanced emission controls. Environmental clearance for the first phase was recommended just last week by the Ministry of Environment’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
For Odisha, the pipeline holds economic and logistical significance beyond merely serving as a transit route. The state is poised to gain from increased royalty collection, auxiliary industrial activity, and improved connectivity across its mineral belts. The project’s alignment is also expected to create local employment opportunities during construction and maintenance phases.
While the pipeline primarily facilitates AMNS India’s operations in Andhra Pradesh, it also reinforces the eastern region’s emergence as a major steel corridor. Odisha, with its abundant raw materials and expanding port infrastructure, is positioned to remain at the heart of this growth trajectory.
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh welcomed the approval as a testament to the Centre’s push for rapid industrial development. For Odisha, however, the move is equally significant, highlighting the state’s indispensable role in national manufacturing ambitions and its potential to attract further investments tied to green logistics infrastructure.
With both environmental and pipeline clearances in place, AMNS India is set to move into the implementation phase of its mega project. As work progresses, Odisha’s position as a mineral-rich, strategically located partner in India’s steel expansion is likely to strengthen further—cementing the state’s role in the country’s next big industrial growth wave.
