Centre To Invest Rs 22,000 Crore On 14 Railway Projects In Eastern India To Boost Coal Transportation: Report

The Centre is working towards augmenting the process of coal transportation across eastern India by undertaking 14 railway projects worth Rs 22,067 crore spread across the region.

The government's project will cut down the time and cost incurred in transportation of the dry fuel and will also evacuate around 410 million tonnes coal per annum.

“The government is endeavoring for a cleaner environment and has placed great impetus to further develop rail transportation of coal,” the Coal ministry said in a written statement, reports Financial Express.

The projects will be covering a distance of around 2680 km across the major coal-producing states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.

The ministry is aiming to address concerns like environmental pollution and the heavy cost of coal miners by bringing about greater railway connectivity for coal transport and subsequently reducing its dependence on road transport.

Coal India is also investing around Rs 14,200 crore in two phases for its 49 first-mile connectivity (FMC) projects by 2023-24.

The company is overall aiming to move 555 MT of coal annually via mechanised means by FY24.