As Maharashtra faces power shortage, railway ups coal despatches
Maharashtra is still marred by power cuts with an average of 600 megawatts (Mw) shortfall.
Maharashtra is still marred by power cuts with an average of 600 megawatts (Mw) shortfall. For the past few weeks now, the Indian Railways have gone on an overdrive in supplying coal to different power plants in the state.
The officials from Central Railway said that they are loading nearly 35 rakes of coal every day from various ports. For maximizing coal despatches to Maharashtra they have increased loading by 20 rakes per day to Mahagenco power plants. The electricity demand in the state has crossed 20,000 Mw, hence load shedding is being carried out. DNA had earlier reported about the coal issues plaguing the state and railways ferrying coal. The Indian Railways have increased the loading of coal at these states which is then ferried to the power plants for electricity generation. According to sources in Railway Board - which is keeping tab on the situation and coordinating with coal and power ministries - they have set a target of increasing the coal transportation to 500 rakes per day across India. At present the Indian Railways has been loading 415 rakes of coal everyday.
"Highest priority is being accorded to load coal to non-pithead power plants both in terms of rake allocation and movement. In the last 6 months, the coal transportation by rakes has gone up by 12 per cent," said a senior Railway Board official.
As per the statistics maintained by the Railways, the number of rakes carrying coal has increased from 353 rakes in 2013-14 to 415 rakes (till September), which includes other states as well. In 2018-19, the tonnage of coal transportation till September has increased from 258.6 million tonnes to 288.4 million tonnes. Shashank Rao shashank.rao@dnaindia.net
Maharashtra is still marred by power cuts with an average of 600 megawatts (Mw) shortfall. For the past few weeks now, the Indian Railways have gone on an overdrive in supplying coal to different power plants in the state.
The officials from Central Railway said that they are loading nearly 35 rakes of coal every day from various ports. For maximizing coal despatches to Maharashtra they have increased loading by 20 rakes per day to Mahagenco power plants. The electricity demand in the state has crossed 20,000 Mw, hence load shedding is being carried out. DNA had earlier reported about the coal issues plaguing the state and railways ferrying coal. The Indian Railways have increased the loading of coal at these states which is then ferried to the power plants for electricity generation. According to sources in Railway Board - which is keeping tab on the situation and coordinating with coal and power ministries - they have set a target of increasing the coal transportation to 500 rakes per day across India. At present the Indian Railways has been loading 415 rakes of coal everyday.
"Highest priority is being accorded to load coal to non-pithead power plants both in terms of rake allocation and movement. In the last 6 months, the coal transportation by rakes has gone up by 12 per cent," said a senior Railway Board official.
As per the statistics maintained by the Railways, the number of rakes carrying coal has increased from 353 rakes in 2013-14 to 415 rakes (till September), which includes other states as well. In 2018-19, the tonnage of coal transportation till September has increased from 258.6 million tonnes to 288.4 million tonnes.