MCL launches ₹25-bn new rail network

Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Coal India, has decided to double the 53.1-km Jharsuguda-Sardega rail link at a cost of ₹25 billion in order to scale up coal handling and evacuation activities as it has already invested ₹11.25 billion on the railway line, said director (technical & operations), MCL, Jaswinder Pal Singh, adding that it is going to have a second line, which after going on stream, the handling capacity will be ramped up to 40 million tons per annum (mtpa) from 13 mtpa,. MCL produced 143 million tons (mt) of coal in the last financial year as in the current fiscal the coal miner aims at an output of 162.5 mt with 163 mt of coal dispatches. The Garjanbahal OCP in Sundargarh district is endowed with 230 mt of coal reserves and to start with, the project will have an initial mining capacity of 13 mtpa, he claimed.