Despite Nationwide lockdown and Covid-19 outbreak, Ministry of Railways has taken a challenge ensuring uninterrupted supply of essential commodities throughout the country. In essential commodities, Indian Railways is transporting food grains, petroleum products, coal, fruits & vegetables, milk, edible oil, sugar & salt, medicine etc.
Keeping in view Power Houses of the country, East Coast Railway has taken a challenge ensuring uninterrupted supply of coal to these Power Houses. During the lockdown period, ECoR has carried 2683 Trains of Coal towards various places in the country from its jurisdiction.
Transportation of Coal from Talcher area, Paradeep, Visakhapatnam and Dhamara is being done to different power plants in different states of the country.
During the lockdown period, i.e. from 22nd March to 27th April, 2020, East Coast Railway has loaded 10.50 million tonnes of coal towards different destinations through 2683 trains.
Talcher is the major coal loading point of ECoR and commands the status of being the biggest coal loading point served from one station in whole of Asia. Talcher area consists of 11 coal loading sidings of M/s. Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd., from where coal gets transported to the thermal Power plants of NTPC and other power houses of South India via rail routes and the sea route through Paradeep Port. Talcher also supplies coal to steel plants of Rourkela, Vizag captive power plants as well as other industries located in different parts of the country. During the lockdown period, ECoR loaded 6.48 million tonnes thermal coal from its jurisdiction in 1695 Trains.
Paradeep Port Trust loads outward traffic by rail consisting of coke, imported coal and other minerals. There is inward rail traffic of imported coal. During the lockdown time, 1.30 million tonnes of imported coal has been loaded from Paradeep in 322 Trains.
Dhamra Port loads outward coal of imported coal and its inward traffic is thermal coal. During the lockdown period, 1.21 million tonnes of coal in 295 trains has been loaded from Dhamara port for different industries.
Similarly, in Vizag Port loaded 0.95 million tonnes of imported Coal in 232 Trains towards different industries of the country. Apart from this, Gangavaram Port loaded 0.39 million tonnes of coal in 96 Trains.
During lockdown period, East Coast Railway has played a major role by transporting imported coal about 3.90 million tonnes to various destinations in the country and 6.60 million tonnes of thermal coal from its jurisdiction.
POWER PLANTS SERVED:
Power Plants like NTPC/Kaniha, TTPS/Talcher, FACOR/Baudpur, Sterlite/Jharsuguda, GMR/Budhapank in Odisha, NTPC (Kahalgaon, Farakka), Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation (BGB), WBPDCL (Bakreswar, Kolaghat, Bandel, Santaldih, Sagardighi), Damodar Valley Corporation (Durgapur, Mezia, DSTPS, KTPS) in Eastern India, NTPC (Simhadri, Ramagundam), APGENCO/Vijayawada, Modannur, TANGEDCO (Tuticurin, Mettur, Ennore, North-Madras), NTECL- Raichur, Bellary. Southern India, Adani Power (MH) Ltd. (Tiroda) in Central India, Mundra Thermal Power Plant / Mundra (Gujrat) in Western India are being served by East Coast Railway.
Electricity Supply to every home for using Light, Fan, TV, AC, Refrigerator and other electrical equipments is essential to everyone. Supply of electricity Hospitals, Factories & Industries, Trading institutions, Offices will also become defunct without electricity resulting in major impact to public. Hence, transportation of coal is much more essential to power houses of the country. East Coast Railway is working round the clock to ensure supply of essential commodities to the people in different parts of the country.
