CIL to switch over to mechanised coal transportation by FY'24

State-owned CIL on Thursday said it will switch over to mechanised transportation of coal through piped conveyor belts in its large mines by 2023-24, replacing the existing road movement of the dry fuel.

Piped conveyor belt transportation is a covered system for movement of coal and thus promotes environment safety and prevents possible coal pilferage.

The system is already operational in some of the mines of Coal India Ltd (CIL), the company said in a statement.

This will be implemented in 35 of CIL's coal projects each having production capacity of four million tonne per annum (MTPA) and above.

For necessary infrastructure upgrade at these 35 projects, including railway lines, CIL will invest through its capital expenditure, the statement said.

This initiative involves setting up of Coal Handling Plants (CHPs) with silos having rapid loading systems, which will have benefits like crushing, sizing of coal, quicker and quality coal loading.

Setting up of CHPs apart from efficient loading and reduced manual intervention spur better quality in coal supply.

Presently, coal is transported through road by trucks from the pithead to despatch point which tends to add up to dust and air pollution, the statement said.

CIL loaded 151 MT through silos/rapid loading system during 2018-19.

Additionally, around 420 MT of coal is planned to be loaded through silos and surge bins, which will be set up at 35 projects identified, elevating the total mechanised loading to 571 MT by 2023-24.

CIL aims to produce 880 MT of coal by 2023-24 which means 65 per cent of the total coal produced would be moved through covered pipe conveyor system by then and loaded mechanically.

Infrastructure for 24 silos and 11 surge bin loading systems will be set up in all subsidiaries of CIL by 2023-24 for mechanised loading.

"Improved loading time will bring down the wagon idling. Wagon cycle time will be reduced by few hours thus increasing wagon availability. It is a win-win situation for the company, railways and the consumer," a Coal India official said.