CIL wants to introduce GPS-based logistics in 11 opencast projects

System will help company to increase production through greater efficiency

The world's largest coal producer, state-owned Coal India (CIL), intends to introduce a global positioning system (GPS) based logistics system across 11 of its opencast projects to optimise the use and performance of its equipment. The coal behemoth is looking to organise the dispatch of dump trucks between shovels, excavators and dumping points in its mines.

The coal major has floated a global tender for the procurement of GPS-based truck dispatch system, estimated at Rs 132 crore, to modernise operations at four mines of its subsidiary Northern Coalfields, three mines each at Mahanadi Coalfields and South Eastern Coalfields and at one mine of Eastern Coalfields.

The proposed system will not only monitor the position of all mobile equipment at mines associated with the production of coal and removal of overburden but will also automatically compute the best assignment of the equipment to optimise production.

Moreover, a wireless connectivity system is expected to be established for voice and data connectivity between maintenance operation personnel, supervisors and a centralised station. The on-board instrument will capture online data relating to specific mining equipment including position, equipment health and performance data, which it will relay to a nodal station.

“The installation of this system will augment the overall utilisation and productivity of the mines. It is essential that the idle time for the vehicles used at the mines be reduced, which cannot be done without such a system. About seven international players have already shown interest in the project,” a CIL official said.

Although CIL had floated a similar tender earlier for creating a GPS-based system across eight mines, the initiative did not materialise. If implemented, the system will be a much-needed shot in the arm for the coal major which is looking to increase production through greater efficiency to meet the rising demand for the fossil fuel in the country.