MCL gears up to operate pre-Independence Talcher underground coal mines

The Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) is geared up to resume coal production from its 1928-born Talcher colliery in Angul district of Odisha, an official said.

The company has issued a letter of acceptance (LOA) under Mine Developer cum Operator (MDO) Mode to TMC Mineral Resources Private Limited which will revive coal mining at the Talcher underground mine. The underground mine has an estimated reserve of 11 million tonne of coal.

With the commencement of operations and a gradual increase in production capacity, the mine is projected to reach a peak production level of 3.6 lakh tonne per annum from the fifth year of the project's initiation.

This 95-year-old underground mine, developed using the Bord & Pillar method, traces its roots back to 1928 when it was started by the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway (MSM Railway).

After being under different owners, in 1992, the Talcher UG was finally transferred to MCL, which is now the largest coal-producing subsidiary of Coal India.

A team of 18 subject-expert officers from different departments of MCL worked in tandem with the Department of Contract Management, MCL HQs, for over 10 months to plan and execute the revival of Talcher UG through MDO mode.

Congratulating the team for their successful initiative, MCL chairman-cum managing director OP Singh, said: "We are committed to ensure availability of adequate quantity of coal to our diverse consumers and resumption of coal production from Talcher underground."

The reopening of Talcher UG would be a crucial milestone in revitalising coal production from underground in the region, aligned with the Government of India's efforts to encourage responsible coal mining and utilise the country's natural resources efficiently.

This public-private partnership (PPP) between MCL and TMC Mineral Resources Private Limited, under a revenue-sharing model, promises to create a win-win situation, bolstering economic growth while ensuring sustainable mining practices for a better and greener tomorrow, an MCL official said.

With almost zero direct investment in this 25-year-long arrangement, MCL aims at earning a revenue of Rs 111 crore, besides creating a job opportunity for hundreds of skilled youths at Talcher.