Lok Sabha Question No. 3156 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: Impact of Coal Transportation
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Praveen Khandelwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3156 ANSWERED ON 11.03.2026

## IMPACT OF COAL TRANSPORTATION

## 3156. SHRI PRAVEEN KHANDELWAL:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  environmental  and  logistical  impacts  of  coal transportation through densely populated urban corridors including Delhi-NCR and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether cleaner coal handling, covered transport and mechanised loading systems are being mandated and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether digital monitoring of coal logistics to reduce transit losses and pollution is being implemented and if so, the details thereof;

(d)  whether  urban  coal  handling  infrastructure  is  being  modernised  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to minimise environmental impact of coal logistics in urban areas?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

(a): Coal is transported through multiple modes, including railways. Indian Railways has issued  directions  to  strictly  follow  pollution  and  environmental  norms  prescribed  by  the designated authorities of the Central and State Governments. To minimize pollution, Railway Zones have been advised to undertake protective measures such as the development of green belts, installation of dust screen walls/ wind barriers, and provision of water sprinklers at coal loading and unloading terminals. Further, Indian Railways has allowed an additional free hour for covering open wagons with tarpaulins during the loading of loose or bulk commodities, including coal, at all freight terminals to reduce dust emissions during transportation.

(b): While  granting  Environmental  Clearance  (EC),  certain  Environmental  safeguards/ mitigation measures such as strengthening of coal transportation roads, transportation of coal in  covered  trucks  to  avoid  spillage  of  materials  during  transport,  loading  of  wet  coal  onto wagons, deployment of mobile sprinklers along haul roads to control dust generated by truck movement  and  dumpers,  construction  of  integrated  Coal  Handling  Plant  (CHP),  use  of mechanized coal loading system, etc. are stipulated for implementing the EMPs

(Environmental Management Plans) which have to be complied with by the project proponents to control dust emissions due to coal transportation. Further, Consent to Operate (CTO) under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, issued by State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB), also gives this condition for prevention of air pollution.

- (c): Digital  monitoring  systems  are  being  deployed  by  coal  companies  to  enhance transparency and efficiency in coal logistics. These include integration of dispatch and logistics data  through  enterprise  digital  platforms,  GPS-based  vehicle  tracking  systems,  electronic weighbridges,  CCTV  surveillance  at  loading  and  dispatch  points  and  real-time  monitoring through internal digital dashboards like Koyla Shakti dashboard. Such systems help monitor movement of coal, improve operational efficiency and reduce the possibility of transit losses.
- (d): Coal  handling  and  evacuation  infrastructure  in  mining  areas  is  being  modernised through development of mechanised coal handling plants, rapid loading systems, and First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects, which facilitate mechanised loading and reduce manual handling of coal. These systems improve efficiency in coal evacuation and help minimise dust emissions during loading and dispatch operations.
- (e): To control the environmental impacts caused by coal mining, the Central Government has devised the process of Environment Impact Assessment, as a regulatory tool under the provisions  of  the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  Under  the  said  Act,  Ministry  of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, which deals with the process of granting Environmental Clearance  (EC)  after  having  comprehensive  analysis  of  EIA  reports  prepared  by  the  coal companies. The EIA for coal mining projects includes the assessment of impact on Air, Water, forest  cover,  and  Biodiversity.  EIA  also  includes  specific  mitigation  strategies  like  dust suppression & water management systems, noise control measures, and green belt development plans to counter the environmental impacts of mining activities.

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