5 of 14 rail projects taken up to boost coal evacuation, commissioned: Govt

Of the 14 rail projects taken up for implementation to boost coal evacuation, five have already been commissioned and the remaining are at different stages of construction, Parliament was informed on Monday.

In addition, coastal shipping and inland waterways are also being promoted for evacuation of coal, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Replying to a query, Joshi said, "14 rail projects have been taken up for implementation for improving coal evacuation... Of these, five rail lines have already been commissioned and others are at various stages of construction."

"In addition to the above, the Ministry of Railways has planned several rail projects under Green Energy Corridor Projects, High-density Network Projects and Rail Sagar Projects," the minister said.

The coal ministry recently launched a coal logistics policy and integrated coal evacuation plan to address the issue of coal transportation amidst rising demands.