Dhanbad : Tarun Kapoor, Advisor to the Prime Minister, chaired a high-level review meeting at Koyla Bhawan, headquarters of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), on the first day of his two-day official visit to Dhanbad and key locations in the region from August 31 to September 1, 2026.
The review focused on BCCL’s production and operational performance, major projects, mining technologies, safety measures, key challenges and future growth plans. Kapoor also visited important BCCL projects at Moonidih and the ENA Fire Project in the Kusunda Area, besides interacting with families living in high-risk areas.
The meeting was attended by Chairman, Coal India Limited, Shri B. Sairam; CMD, BCCL, Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Smt. Alaknanda Dayal; Project Advisor, Ministry of Coal, Shri Alok Kumar Singh; Director (HR), Shri Murli Krishna Ramaiah; Director (Technical/Operations), Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh; Director (Finance), Shri Rajesh Kumar; and Director (Technical/Projects & Planning), Shri Rajiv Kumar Sinha, along with senior officials from the Railways, Area General Managers, General Managers and Heads of Departments.
Production, Technology and Growth Strategy
During the meeting, CMD BCCL Manoj Kumar Agarwal briefed Kapoor on the company’s major operations, achievements, challenges and proposed action plans. Director (Technical/Operations) Sanjay Kumar Singh made a detailed presentation covering BCCL’s operational performance, strategic initiatives and future plans.
The review covered coal production and offtake, reserves, operational capacity and production targets up to 2030–31. The performance of both underground (UG) and opencast (OC) mines, along with overburden removal during the past five years, was also examined.
The meeting placed particular emphasis on the adoption of advanced mining technologies. Technologies currently being used by BCCL, including Longwall Mining and Highwall Mining, were reviewed, along with plans to expand the use of Surface Miners and Continuous Miners.
Plans for restructuring opencast blocks in the Jharia Coalfield and redevelopment of discontinued mines through the Mine Developer-cum-Operator (MDO)/Revenue Sharing model were also discussed. The performance and expansion of coal washeries, as well as measures to improve coal quality, formed part of the review.
Tarun Kapoor emphasised BCCL’s strategic importance in meeting India’s coking coal requirements. He called for scientific and optimal utilisation of available resources, enhanced production capacity and improved operational efficiency to ensure sustainable growth and profitability.
He also interacted with BCCL’s Area General Managers, seeking information about operational and administrative challenges, their underlying causes and steps being taken to resolve them.
Moonidih CBM and Longwall Projects Inspected
Following the review meeting, Kapoor inspected CBM Block-I Project, where he was briefed on Coal Bed Methane extraction technology, project progress and implementation plans.
He also visited the Moonidih XVI Seam Longwall Project, reviewing mechanised underground mining operations and the role of modern technology in ensuring a safe, sustainable and reliable supply of prime coking coal.
ENA Fire Project and Rehabilitation
At the ENA Fire Project in Kusunda Area, Kapoor reviewed fire-management and safety measures, including scientific fire detection, thermal and satellite-based monitoring, excavation and phased rehabilitation of affected areas.
He also interacted with families residing in high-risk areas, discussing their safety concerns and rehabilitation-related issues.
The visit assumes particular significance for the Jharia Coalfield, where underground coal fires, land subsidence and the rehabilitation of affected communities remain major challenges requiring coordinated technical and administrative action.
Next Phase of Visit
On September 1, 2026, Tarun Kapoor is scheduled to visit the Belgaria and Karmatand rehabilitation sites and review the implementation of the Revised Jharia Master Plan with concerned stakeholders.
In essence, Tarun Kapoor’s two-day review is focused on strengthening BCCL’s production and technological capabilities, improving mine safety and efficiency, securing India’s coking coal requirements, and accelerating rehabilitation efforts in the fire-affected and high-risk areas of the Jharia Coalfield.