Lok Sabha Question No. 4077 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-13
Subject: Infrastructural Facility for Transportation of Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COAL**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4077**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.08.2015**

**Infrastructural Facility for Transportation of Coal**

**4077. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:**

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) the total quantity of coal piles that are left at the pit heads of the Coal India Limited (CIL) every year over the last three years on account of inadequate infrastructure facilities for transporting coal to the required destination;

(b) the total estimated quantity of coal which is likely to add on to the existing piles after the implementation of the Government's plans for enhancing the coal production;

(c) whether there has been a constant decrease in the expenditure on creation of transportation infrastructure necessary for the timely transportation of coal from mines; and

(d) if so, the details thereof including the proposed action of the Government to strengthen this transportation network?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF COAL, POWER AND NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY**

**(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )**

**(a):** Subsidiary-wise vendible opening coal stock at pit heads of Coal India Limited (CIL)  as on 01.04.2013, 01.04.2014 & 01.04.2015 is as under:

[Figures in Million Tonnes(MT)]

| **Company**                             | **01.04.2013**   | **01.04.2014**   | **01.04.2015**   |
|-----------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
| Eastern  Coalfields Limited (ECL)       | 2.115            | 1.913            | 3.451            |
| Bharat Cooking Coal Limited (BCCL)      | 5.208            | 3.622            | 4.464            |
| Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)        | 11.499           | 9.399            | 9.718            |
| Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL)       | 9.579            | 6.107            | 4.898            |
| Western Coalfields Limited (WCL)        | 5.823            | 5.604            | 5.502            |
| South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) | 5.541            | 7.774            | 12.816           |
| Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL)       | 18.050           | 14.019           | 12.405           |
| North Eastern Coalfields (NEC)          | 0.077            | 0.164            | 0.215            |
| **Total CIL**                           | **57.892**       | **48.602**       | **53.469**       |

This stock at the pitheads may not be exclusively on account of inadequate infrastructure facilities for transportation.

**(b):** There is no likelihood for  any significant  addition of coal stock at pitheads at the end of  current  financial year,  as  off-take is likely to be 550 MT against  coal production target of  550 MT.

**(c)&(d):** Action has been initiated for development of infrastructure facility for coal evacuation in coalfields. The following railway infrastructure projects have been taken up for improving  coal evacuation.

1.  For South Eastern Coalfields Limited(SECL):-

(i) East Corridor: Bhupdeopur-Gharghoda-Dharamjaygarh up to Korba, 180 KM(approximately) in length in Chhattisgarh state.

(ii) East- West Corridor:  Gevra Road to Pendra Road via Dipka, Katghora, Sindurgarh, Pasan, 122 KM(approximately) in length in Chhattisgarh state.

2.  For Central Coalfields Limited(CCL) :-

(i) Tori - Shivpur–Kathotia New BG Line, 94 KM(approximately) length in Jharkhand state.

3.   For Mahanadi Coalfields Limited(MCL) :-

(i) Jharsuguda-Barpali-Sardega Rail Link, 53 KM(approximately)  length in Odisha state.

In order to facilitate coal evacuation and add to its evacuation capacity, keeping in view of the envisaged quantum jump in production, CIL has planned to  procure railway wagons with an estimated investment of Rs. 515 Cr.  in the first instance. The fleet of wagons is to be operated  by Indian Railways and dedicated only for transport of coal from the specified coal subsidiaries.

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