WBIDC realigns steel projects to fit Bengal Aerotropolis

The West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation(WBIDC) has worked out a plan whereby it will offset the coal reserves lost to Coal India Ltd(CIL) for the country's first greenfield airport project in Andal, by redefining the boundaries of at least three upcoming steel projects in the Bardhaman district.

The three projects which would have to be re-aligned since they were in the coal bearing zones were Videocon's three million tons per annum (mtpa) integrated steel plant over at Barabani in Bardhaman, Bhushan Steel's two mtpa integrated plant in Bardhaman's Salanpur area and Abhijit Group's two mtpa steel plant in Jamuria in the same district. The total land requirement for the projects were in excess of 8,000 acres.

Emerging from a meeting with the CIL chairman and representatives of the Bengal Aerotropolis Private Ltd (BAPL), at Writers' Building, state commerce and industry secretary, Sabyasachi Sen, said, "In the Bardhaman-Duragapur belt, many projects are coming up over coal bearing areas, and there was a request from the Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) to redefine the boundaries so that the coal reserves could be protected. WBIDC and ECL will hold talks to define the project areas". He also added that whenever any industrial project would be identified in these areas, CIL would be consulted.

While the project areas for the three steel projects had been identified, land was yet to be allotted to the developers.

Meanwhile, the impact zone of CIL's subsidiary has been reduced from 2.63 square kilometers(sq km) to 0.71 sq km. "Considering a mineable depth of 600 meters, ECL will lose around 14 million tons(mt) for the Bengal Aerotropolis project. But, we will be able to safeguard coal reserves worth several multiples of 14 mt if the three upcoming project areas are re-adjusted", CIL chairman Partha S Bhattacharyya said.

In reducing the impact zone by 1.92 s km, the BAPL project would shrink by 400 acres and will now shift eastwards from the present project site. The aerotropolis project, the country's first airport to be sanctioned under the Greenfield Airports Act, requires 3,500 acres of land.

Bhattacharyya told reporters that the proposed golf course in the original plan would now be shifted eastwards to free at least some portion of ECL's licensed area. The Madhujhor coal mine, which is a working mine, will be entirely free as a result.

CIL had earlier claimed that there were1,400 million tonnes of mineable coal reserves under the proposed aerotropolis site, and had recommended the project be moved 15 km southwards. However, a major part of the reserves happen to be at a depth of 950 meters and below, that is not viable for mining. Already, Steel Authority of India Ltd's (SAIL) Durgapur Steel Plant stands above coal bearing zones,where the coal reserves are at a depth of 1,000 meters. CIL plans to develop around seven underground mines across the country up to a depth of 600 meters with private technology participation.

Sources in BAPL informed that the company hopes to start work on the project within this year. Land acquisition notices have been sent to landowners in the area from the district magistrate's office, that is acquiring the land on behalf of WBIDC.