New Delhi, February 22 (HS): South Eastern Coal Fields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India, is accelerating efforts to enhance safe and sustainable coal evacuation from its mines through First Mile Connectivity (SECL) projects under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal. In a significant milestone, SECL's Dipka Mega Project successfully started operations on Friday by loading the first coal rake from its newly constructed Rapid Loading System and Silos 3 and 4. This is a major step towards promoting eco-friendly and efficient coal transportation.
According to the Union Ministry of Coal, the newly commissioned Dipka CHP-Silo FMC Project has an annual coal evacuation capacity of 25 million tonnes, significantly improving the conveyance efficiency of the mega project. Before the commissioning of the new silos, Dipka was dependent on a Merry-Go-Round (MGR) conveyance system with a capacity of 15 MTPA. With the commissioning of Silos 3 and 4, the total coal dispatch capacity of Dipka has now increased to 40 million tonnes per annum, effectively aligning the transportation infrastructure with production levels. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Coal, SECL has prioritised the development of FMC infra under PM Gatishakti Yojana.
SECL has undertaken 17 First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects with a cumulative capacity of 233 MTPA. Of these, 9 projects with a total capacity of 151 MTPA have already been commissioned, demonstrating the company's commitment to modernise coal transportation. The remaining 8 FMC projects with 82 MTPA capacity are at various stages of development and are targeted to be commissioned in the next 2-3 years. FMC is widely recognised as an efficient and environment-friendly coal transportation mode. Implementation of FMC infrastructure at Dipka offers several benefits, including improved efficiency and precise loading, reducing both underloading and overloading of coal in rakes.
Faster loading time has reduced turnaround time and improved rake availability. Coal quality has improved, reducing contamination and losses. Dependence on road transport has reduced, leading to savings in diesel costs and cleaner environment. Commissioning of these new silos has created a win-win situation for SECL, Indian Railways and coal consumers, as it has helped streamline logistics, optimise coal movement and minimise environmental impact.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
