CIL's plans for mechanised transport and loading gains steam

New Delhi: Coal India's (CIL) pitch for efficient and environment friendly mechanised coal transportation in its First Mile Connectivity, replacing the road movement, gained pace with the company successfully issuing tenders for all the 35 projects, of Phase-1, by September'20 as planned. First mile connectivity refers to transportation of coal from CIL's pitheads to despatch points.

Coal Handling Plants (CHPs) and Silos for rapid loading system would be commissioned across six of CIL's subsidiaries, under the

tenders.

To come up by FY'24 at an estimated investment of Rs. 12,500 Croresthe coal handling capacity of the 35 projects will be 406 Million Tonnes per year (MT/Y). Each of these mining projects have production capacity of 4 MT/Y and above. The expenditure would be met out of CIL's Capex.

Under mechanised transportation, coal would be moved through piped conveyor belt mode promoting cleaner environment. With reduced movement of coal laden trucks on roads itbrings downdust pollution to the comfort of people residing in the proximity of the mines. CIL is undertaking a study through National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI), Kolkata particularly for assessing and quantifying benefits of environmental aspects of these projects.

CHPs and Silos will have benefits like crushing and sizing of coal and speedy computerized loading. Another upside is that with the reduced manual intervention, precise pre-weighed quantity of coal can be loaded. It also spurs loading of better quality coal.

"Improved loading time will bring down the wagon idling thus increasing their availability. Easing the load on road networks induces savings on diesel as well apart from positive environmental considerations. It will be an all-round win-win situation for the company, railways, consumers and villagers in the proximity of the mines," said a senior executive of the company.

Currently, CIL spends around Rs. 3,400 Crores on coal transportation costs which could be brought down substantially with the introduction of mechanised coal transport in the first mile. CIL also expects more than12% internal rate of return once it switches over to the mechanised transport means.

Already, mechanised conveyor system and computerized loading is operational in 19 projects of CIL having 151 MT/Y capacity.