RAIL+ COAL: The inseparable couple

FEW conjugal relationship last for over a century and still remain intensely in love, total trust in each other, striding along hand in hand, ever-growing and everflourishing.

It’s over a century since Indian railways started transporting coal, and even today the existence of either coal or railway without the existence of other partner can not be imagined.

They truly fit into the category of “Made for each other."

Piyush Goyal was Indian Minister for Railway as well as Coal Minister in 2018-20 period .

As soon as he took over, he formed a WhatsApp group of top functionaries of the two ministries for better co-ordination and smooth flow of coal from mines to the power houses and other industrial units. This step helped in improving the flow of coal to power plants and coal-based industries. I happened to be member of this elite group in my position as GM ECR one of the top coal transportation zones of Indian Railways.

plants/coal-based industries.

Even the offspring of coal the flyash, produced in huge quantity in thermal power plants. Nowadays it is being evacuated from thermal power plants by railways.

In the domestic coal ash percentage varies from 25 to 45% and in imported coal it is around 20% .

Power plants have to make major investments to handle the ash produced by coal burning process . To handle this hazardous waste, ash handling plantshave been set up. Usage of fly ash have been found in Road building, cement manufacturing, Brick manufacturing and so on.