Green Signal for Ramagundam Mega Coal Project

metro india news  I hyderabad

The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has received preliminary environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for its ambitious and innovative Ramagundam Coal Mine Project, marking a significant milestone for the company and the region. Formal clearance documents are expected within the next 10 days.

The project, designed as a unique integrated mining initiative, aims to maximise the utilisation of underground coal reserves by combining two opencast and three underground mines into a single operational framework. With an estimated 314.98 million tonnes of coal reserves, the project is expected to achieve an annual production capacity of 21 million tonnes, the highest in SCCL’s history.

This strategic initiative has been developed to offset declining production from ageing mines and ensure a sustained coal supply to key consumers, particularly NTPC Ramagundam and other industries. The project is also expected to extend mining operations in the Ramagundam region by 25 years, thereby strengthening the long-term energy and industrial ecosystem.

A notable feature of the project is its focus on extracting residual coal from closed and soon-to-close underground mines, including the GDK-10 Incline and Vakilpalli mines, by converting them into opencast operations. Additionally, coal reserves from adjoining expansion projects and safety barrier zones will be efficiently integrated into the mining plan.

The project emphasises environmental sustainability through scientific backfilling of mine voids using overburden generated during excavation, minimising ecological impact while maximising resource utilisation. Advanced mining technologies such as longwall systems, continuous miners, and shovel-dumper methods will be deployed for efficient extraction.

With an estimated investment of ₹2,194 crore and a land requirement of over 4,300 hectares, the project is expected to generate employment for around 5,500 workers, including SCCL employees and contract labour.

Overall, the Ramagundam Coal Mine Project is poised to play a crucial role in sustaining regional economic activity, ensuring energy security, and reinforcing SCCL’s position as a key player in India’s coal sector.