Coal Production Begins At Urtan And Dhirauli Mines

21 May 2026 CW Team

The Ministry of Coal has commenced coal production from the Urtan and Dhirauli mines in Madhya Pradesh, advancing India's energy security.

Production at Urtan in Anuppur district began on 15 May 2026 and at Dhirauli in Singrauli district on 17 May 2026. The mines were allocated to M/s JMS Mining Private Limited and M/s Mahan Energen Limited respectively.

Urtan has become the first underground coal mine to start production under the commercial coal auction regime, a milestone in sector reform. The operationalisation of Urtan is expected to enhance domestic coal availability and to signal the viability of underground projects under the new framework.

Dhirauli's commissioning is intended to bolster coal supplies from the resource-rich Singrauli region and to improve the regional supply chain. Production there is anticipated to complement output from nearby operations and to contribute to meeting domestic demand.

The ministry has advanced reforms and streamlined procedures aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and facilitating ease of doing business, measures described as furthering Atmanirbharta in the energy sector. Officials noted that increased domestic output from new mines will play an important role in reducing reliance on imports and supporting sustained economic growth. The ministry will monitor outputs and coordinate with operators to ensure compliance with environmental and safety norms.

Infrastructure Transport

15 Jul 2026

Railways To Operate Over 300 Special Trains For Rath Yatra

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Indian Railways (IR) will operate more than 300 special trains for the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha and over 100 special trains during the Onam festival in Keralam. He flagged off the Nanded–Mumbai and Tanakpur–Nanded Express trains and inaugurated the extension of the Tanakpur–Pilibhit service up to Shahjahanpur via video conference from Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar. He noted that the summer season, which concluded on 30 June, had seen a record 15,000 special trains. Vaishnaw stated that the newly launched services are intende..

Vande Bharat Express To Start From Tripura Soon

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said the Vande Bharat Express will commence operations from Tripura in the coming days after he flagged off the Agartala–Karimganj MEMU service at Agartala Railway Station. He recalled the rail history of the state, noting that a metre-gauge service first arrived in 1964 and that broad gauge reached Agartala in 2008 following national projects and later upgrades under the Act East policy. The event was described as a milestone for regional connectivity and the MEMU was presented as the first electric passenger train to originate from Tripura.\n\nSaha said he..

MEMU Suspension Disrupts Commuters Between Vadodara And Dahod

The Vadodara–Dahod Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) service has been temporarily suspended for 26 days after its rake was diverted to Odisha to manage the surge in passenger traffic during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri. Indian Railways redeployed several MEMU rakes from different zones to meet the additional travel demand for the festival scheduled from the seventh of July to the second of August. As a result, train numbers 69233 and 69234 operating between Vadodara and Dahod will remain cancelled for the duration. Railway authorities advised passengers to use alternative train service..