India Opens Bids for 12th Round of Coal Block Auctions

18 Jun 2025 CW Team

India’s Ministry of Coal has kicked off its twelfth commercial coal block auction, inviting bids from private and public players as part of the government’s ongoing drive to open up the coal mining sector. In this round, a total of 27 companies have submitted bids, reflecting strong investor interest in the country’s energy and mining industries.

This initiative aligns with recent reforms aimed at encouraging private participation, reducing red tape, and promoting transparency through a single-window system and digitised processes. Coal remains a critical component of India’s energy mix, and these auctions aim to boost domestic production while enhancing energy security and cutting reliance on imports.

The current round follows the successful allocation of the 200th coal block, signalling a strategic milestone in liberalising coal mining. The ministry expects the new auction to support substantial investment, job creation, and faster project implementation.

Companies taking part are anticipated to deploy capital towards exploration, mining infrastructure, and extraction processes once the auction concludes and leases are awarded. This wave of investment is expected to strengthen the mining sector’s contribution to India’s economy and support long-term sustainability goals.

With a clearer regulatory landscape and accelerated permission processes, the coal auctions are positioned to attract both domestic firms and international investors. Successful bidders will gain access to valuable coal reserves and play a key role in shaping India’s energy future.

Equipment

29 Oct 2025

Handling the Bottom Line

In a highly competitive construction environment, efficient material handling is “the silent engine of profitability”, to quote Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra Realty. “It’s not just about moving materials from A to B but developing a strategy to minimise touchpoints, reduce waste and maximise spends.”Planning stageBefore investing in material, Kulkarni recommends designing the material flow. “Map the journey of major materials from the delivery point to their final placement,” he recommends. While doing this, “minimise double-handling and identif..

Taking Flight!

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, it marked far more than the opening of another terminal – it signified a turning point in India’s aviation and infrastructure narrative. Developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) in partnership with the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), NMIA represents a bold vision of how modern India intends to connect its people, power its economy and project its identity on the global stage.“The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project that exemplifies the visio..

Highway Guidelines 2.0

In August 2025, a Public Accounts Committee comprising members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha presented a report, ‘Levy and Regulation of Fees, Tariffs, User Charges etc on Public Infrastructure and Other Public Utilities in the context of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).Having examined present design accountability, subcontracting, pavement failures, emergency response mechanisms, toll reforms, service quality, stakeholder consultations and other aspects, the Committee presented recommendations covering the planning a..