Three crucial rail link projects that will help evacuate and deliver over 200 million tonnes of coal from mines in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha are likely to be completed by December 2016, a senior government official said.

The three rail corridors, which include Tori-Shivpuri- Kathotia in North Karanpura in Jharkhand,Bhupdeopur-Korichhaapar to Mand Raigadh mines in Chhattisgarh and Barpali-Jharsuguda in IB Valley, Odisha, will be completed by December 2016, Additional Secretary and central project monitoring group (PMG) Chairman Anil Swarup told reporters on the sidelines of an event here today. "Rail linkage for any coal mining project is very crucial. These three projects, which were pending since a very long time for want of certain clearances, have now got the necessary approvals and we believe the construction work will be complete by December 2016," he said.