To promote environmentally friendly coal transportation, national miner Coal India Ltd (CIL) announced that it would spend Rs 24,750 crore on 61 first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects. Compared to utilizing a vehicle to move coal from a mine to a rail siding, FMCs are thought to be more efficient, safer, and less harmful to the environment. A total of 35 FMC projects with a 414.5 mtpa capacity were proposed by CIL for 2021. Eight of these 112 mtpa projects are currently in operation.
The action was a component of the Rs 20 trillion Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan program that the finance ministry announced in 2021. It includes Rs. 50,000 crore for infrastructure development related to coal evacuation and Rs. 18,000 crore for automated coal transportation.
In FMC projects, coal is moved from the point of coal production to the coal handling plants/silos using automated piped conveyors. The coal is loaded directly into railroad wagons by means of these facilities’ automated rapid-loading equipment.
Five projects with 21.5 mtpa capacity under the second phase are anticipated to be operational by FY25. The remaining tasks are at various states of completion. Three projects with a combined capacity of 65 mtpa have been put out to tender for the third phase, while nine will be carried out by mine developers and operators. Lowering our production costs will be made possible by adopting digitalization and automation processes, introducing energy- and cost-efficient technology, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving coal quality.