BCCL restarts long-shut coking coal mine under private partnership model

First project under the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) model to produce 52 million tonnes over 25 years

Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) has resumed coal production from its long-idled project in Dhanbad, marking the first operational mine developed under the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) model within the Coal India Ltd (CIL) ecosystem. BCCL is a subsidiary of CIL.

 

The Pootkee Balihari (PB) project has been awarded to Eagle Infra India Ltd for 25 years. It is expected to produce 52 million tonnes of coking coal — an essential input for the steel and infrastructure sectors — at a peak rated capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per year, the Ministry of Coal said in a statement.

 

The restart of the PB project comes amid growing efforts to reduce India’s reliance on imported coking coal and revive legacy coal assets through private sector participation. BCCL will earn 6 percent of the gross revenue generated, under the revenue-sharing model with the operator. 

 

The project will bring advanced mining technologies and is expected to boost local employment and regional economic development.

 

The mine was virtually inaugurated by Coal India Chairman P.M. Prasad, who called the revival a “pioneering step” in transforming old assets into productive ventures.

 

The PB project is among the early outputs of Mission Coking Coal, a government initiative to increase the domestic supply of the fuel critical to the infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.