According to coal minister Pralhad Joshi, the government is building 13 railway lines to improve coal distribution and transportation capacity.
In a written reply, the minister said, “Ministry of Coal is coordinating with the Ministry of Railways to enhance coal evacuation & distribution capabilities. At present, 13 Railway lines are being constructed in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways for expansion of coal distribution capabilities, which are at various stages of construction.”
In addition, the Ministry of Coal has started 67 First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects in line with PM Gati Shakti’s goals. The aggregate capacity of these projects, which aims to achieve mechanised handling of coal, is 885 million tonnes (MT).
The ministry plans to accomplish roughly 1 billion tonnes (BT) of mechanised coal handling capacity in three phases, demonstrating the scope and ambition of the project.
The Ministry of coal has allotted a sizeable budget of Rs. 26,000 crore for railway projects in order to promote the growth of multimodal connectivity and increase the capacity for coal distribution, according to Joshi.
A special subgroup made up of members from the ministries of railroads, power, coal, and state authorities has been established to facilitate efficient coordination among all parties involved in coal transportation.
