KORBA, CHHATTISGARH – Shri Achyut Ghatak, Director (Technical) of Coal India Limited (CIL), conducted a high-level operational review of the Gevra Megaproject on January 21, 2026. As one of the world's largest open-cast coal mines, Gevra remains central to India's energy security and Coal India’s ambitious production targets.

Shri Ghatak was accompanied during the inspection by Shri N. Franklin Jayakumar, Director (Technical–Operations) of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL).

Operational Excellence and Infrastructure Inspection

The review covered the entire coal production and evacuation lifecycle. Key areas of focus included:

• Mining Patches: Inspection of both departmental and outsourced mining areas to ensure seamless coordination and output maximization.
• Coal Handling Plant (CHP): A detailed assessment of the facility’s processing capacity and maintenance standards.
• Belt Transportation System: Review of the "First Mile Connectivity" infrastructure, which is critical for eco-friendly and high-speed coal evacuation.

Performance Benchmarks

During the visit, Shri Ghatak reviewed the project's key performance indicators (KPIs), emphasizing that Gevra’s transition toward its 70 Million Tonne (MT) annual production capacity must be matched by world-class safety protocols.

Strategic Vision for 2026

The visit comes as CIL designates 2026 as the "Year of Reform and Transformation." Leadership highlighted that flagship projects like Gevra are not only production hubs but testing grounds for advanced digital mining technologies and sustainable land reclamation practices.

The Director (Technical) reaffirmed that enhancing system reliability and coal quality at the source remains the top priority to support India's burgeoning thermal power requirements.