Coal India Ltd's mines are finding their rhythm again. As intense monsoon rains finally ease across the country's coal-bearing regions, average daily production at the state-owned miner's operations climbed to around 1.7 million tonnes (MT) on September 4 — a sharp rebound from roughly 1.36 MT a day during the first three rain-hit days of the month, the Union Coal Ministry said on Saturday.
Key facts
- Daily production rose to around 1.7 MT on September 4, up from approximately 1.36 MT during the first three days of September
- Average daily dispatch to power plants climbed to 1.5 MT, from around 1.35 MT
- Overburden removal jumped to 4.1 million cubic metres, from 2.5 million cubic metres
- Coal India holds around 76 MT at its pitheads, including 46 MT ready for extraction
Drying coal beds, smoother handling
The turnaround, the ministry explained, comes down to the condition of the coal itself. "Coal beds that had turned sticky and wet following prolonged exposure to rain are now drying, making freshly mined coal more free-flowing and easier to transfer, handle and dispatch through Coal Handling Plants (CHPs)," it said.
The momentum shows up elsewhere in the pit, too. Overburden removal — the stripping away of soil, rock and other material to expose a coal bed, and a key indicator of mining activity — increased to 4.1 million cubic metres on September 4, compared with 2.5 million cubic metres recorded during the first three days of the month.
Power plants get a road option
The Kolkata-headquartered miner and its subsidiaries have also offered power plants with existing supply agreements the option to lift additional coal beyond their annual contracted quantities through road transport, alongside existing rail-based supplies, the ministry said.
Coal availability for the power sector has strengthened in step. Average daily dispatch to power plants rose to 1.5 MT on September 4, from around 1.35 MT a day during the first three days of September.
| Metric | Sept 1–3 (daily avg) | Sept 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Production | ~1.36 MT | ~1.7 MT |
| Dispatch to power plants | ~1.35 MT | 1.5 MT |
| Overburden removal | 2.5 million cubic metres | 4.1 million cubic metres |
A comfortable cushion
The government also highlighted Coal India's sizeable inventory position as a buffer against supply disruptions. The miner currently has around 76 MT of coal stocked at its pitheads, including 46 MT of coal ready for extraction.
For the power sector, that stockpile — combined with the recovery in production and dispatch — offers greater flexibility and supports higher supplies in the days ahead.
"With dry spells setting in, loading is expected to pick up further over the coming days. Close monitoring is being maintained to sustain this trend," the ministry said.
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