Indian Railways has planned 14 railway projects with an investment of Rs 22,067 crore to improve efficiency and increase coal evacuation capacity while reducing costs and time. They are expected to increase the coal evacuation capacity (MTPA) by 410 million tons per year.
The government is committed to creating a cleaner environment, which has greatly promoted the further development of coal rail transit. These projects will cover a distance of approximately 2,680 kilometers and will be distributed in Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Transportation of coal by rail will also provide better connectivity and accessibility. Transporting coal over long distances by road brings some major drawbacks, is harmful to the environment, and weakens the pockets of coal miners due to increased transportation costs.
Currently, Coal India Ltd (CIL) costs about 34 billion rupees for coal transportation, and a large amount of coal is transported by road. Due to the narrow road structure and poor maintenance, it has caused many accidents when passing through rural areas. In order to avoid these problems, the government plans Invest in alternative modes of transportation, such as railways.
inland waterways, and coastal shipping. These models are designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of coal transportation. Coal is the backbone of India’s energy sector, accounting for more than 50% of the total energy generation capacity. Power, steel, cement and other terminal industries consume large amounts of coal throughout the country, while coal production is mostly concentrated in a few states.
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