Mahanadi Coal Railway scouts for CEO to rollout Rs 1,700cr project

Mahanadi Coal Railway Ltd, ajoint venture of MCL, IRCON and IDCO, is scouting for a chiefexecutive officer to implement coal evacuation infrastructureprojects in Odisha, officials said.

Initially one corridor has been identified forimplementation of the project, the estimated cost of which isRs 1,7OO crore.

This project will help in creating railway evacuationinfrastructure for Talcher mines.

Talcher Coalfield feeds coal to power stations in 10states, including Odisha.

Other projects will be identified for implementationlater, the official said.

Coal India subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd(MCL)holds 64 per cent, IRCON International Limited has 26 per centand Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporationor IDCO holds 10 per cent stake in the JVC, for financing,development and operation of identified railway projectsimportant for coal evacuation and connectivity in Odisha.

Coal India has aimed over Rs 30,000 crore investmentin coal evacuation infrastructure by 2024. It had recentlyannounced Rs 3,370 crore capex in constructing railway sidingsacross its four subsidiaries.

Meanwhile, production and despatch in Talchercoalfields was paralysed on Monday due to the economicblockade staged by a local outfit demanding fulfilment offive-point charter of demands.

The demands included functioning of Talcher medicalcollege from the current academic session, setting up of a newthermal power plant in place of the old TTPS, railway linkbetween Talcher and Angul, extension of Puri-Talcher train upto Kaniha and mandatory tarpaulin cover on trucks engaged intransportation.

The blockade was called off on Monday evening afterAngul Collector S S Swain held discussions with theprotestors.

The official said, the economic blockade led tocomplete stoppage of coal supply to power plants of NALCO andNTPC.