NMDC has commissioned a Rs 5,427-crore integrated iron ore project in Chhattisgarh, linking its mining operations at Bacheli with its steel plant at Nagarnar, the company said in an exchange filing dated September 27.

The project comprises a new iron ore processing plant at Bacheli, a 135-km slurry pipeline with 15 million tonne per annum capacity, and a 2 million tonne per annum pellet plant at Nagarnar. The pellet plant has now started production.

The facilities will process iron ore fines and slimes from NMDC's Bailadila mines into concentrate, which will then be converted into pellets for use in steelmaking. The pipeline runs through 61 villages in the Bastar and Dantewada districts, offering an alternative to road transport and reducing dependence on railways.

Chairman and Managing Director Amitava Mukherjee described the commissioning as a red-letter day for the company. The project strengthens NMDC's presence across the iron ore value chain as it works towards a long-term production capacity of 100 million tonnes.