South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, has commissioned a new rapid loading system and silos at its Dipka megaproject in Chhattisgarh under the first mile connectivity (FMC) initiative.
The project commenced operations on February 21, 2025, with the loading of the first coal rake from the newly built rapid loading system and silos 3 and 4. The facility has an annual coal evacuation capacity of 25 million tonnes, significantly enhancing dispatch efficiency. Prior to this, coal dispatch at Dipka was reliant on a merry go round system with a capacity of 15 million tonne per annum (mtpa). SECL has undertaken 17 FMC projects with a cumulative capacity of 233 mtpa under the PM Gati Shakti Plan, of which nine projects totaling 151 mtpa have already been commissioned.