Government puts coal connectivity projects on fast track; aims enhanced power generation.

The government has decided to put three critical coal connectivity projects on the fast track for implementation, a move aimed at enhancing power generation in the country.

Railways minister DV Sadananda Gowda and his counterpart handling coal, power and renewable energy, Piyush Goyal, decided at a meeting to step up coordination among the various stakeholders including the line ministries and the state governments by setting up a multidisciplinary project monitoring unit.

The three projects include the Tori-Shivpur and Shivpur-Kathautia railway line in Jharkhand, the Jharsuguda-Barpalli-Sardega railway line in Odisha's Ib Valley and the Bhupdevpur-Korichapan-Dharamjaigarh in Chhattisgarh's Mand-Raigarh coalfield.

Officials had earlier told ET that the railways would help transport over 300 million tonnes of coal and could also add Rs. 10,000 crore to its top line.

Together, the projects estimated to cost over Rs. 7,000 crore are expected to augment power production in the country as well as help save crucial foreign exchange by reducing the increasing dependence on coal imports.


ET