West Bengal’s Deucha Coal Project to Rely Mostly on Underground Mining

21 Apr 2025 CW Team

Underground Mining for Sustainability

According to WBPDCL, the coal seam in the Deucha area lies 300 meters beneath the surface, making open-cast mining impractical for the majority of the site. Instead, underground mining will be used for around 3,400 acres of the project, while only 326 acres will be allocated for open-cast mining primarily for basalt extraction and to create access ducts. This method is expected to significantly reduce environmental damage compared to traditional open-cast mining.

WBPDCL officials argue that underground mining, although more complex and expensive, is necessary due to the deep coal seams, which exceed the depth of India’s deepest open-cast mines. This technique, they assert, will ensure minimal land disruption and prevent the need for displacing communities.

Pilot Operation and Land Acquisition

The project’s pilot operation began in February 2025, covering a 12-acre area for tree transplantation and initial mining activities. While 103 acres of the 326-acre open-cast zone are government-owned, the remaining land is being acquired from private owners, with compensation offered at ?13 lakh per bigha, alongside government job offers. WBPDCL claims that no residential buildings or homes exist on the acquired land, although this has been contested by some critics.

The coal reserves at Deucha are estimated to be among the world’s largest untapped reserves, with an estimated 500 million tonnes of basalt and 1,240 million tonnes of coal. The project is expected to generate around ?30,000 crore in investment and contribute up to 3 million tonnes of coal annually, primarily for West Bengal’s thermal power plants, reducing the region’s reliance on external coal sources.

In a bold claim ahead of state elections, the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) announced that nearly 90% of the Deucha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal mining project will rely on underground mining techniques. The project, located in Birbhum district, is being promoted as a low-impact, non-displacement initiative, with officials asserting that no homes or infrastructure will need to be evicted. Underground Mining for Sustainability According to WBPDCL, the coal seam in the Deucha area lies 300 meters beneath the surface, making open-cast mining impractical for the majority of the site. Instead, underground mining will be used for around 3,400 acres of the project, while only 326 acres will be allocated for open-cast mining primarily for basalt extraction and to create access ducts. This method is expected to significantly reduce environmental damage compared to traditional open-cast mining. WBPDCL officials argue that underground mining, although more complex and expensive, is necessary due to the deep coal seams, which exceed the depth of India’s deepest open-cast mines. This technique, they assert, will ensure minimal land disruption and prevent the need for displacing communities. Pilot Operation and Land Acquisition The project’s pilot operation began in February 2025, covering a 12-acre area for tree transplantation and initial mining activities. While 103 acres of the 326-acre open-cast zone are government-owned, the remaining land is being acquired from private owners, with compensation offered at ?13 lakh per bigha, alongside government job offers. WBPDCL claims that no residential buildings or homes exist on the acquired land, although this has been contested by some critics. The coal reserves at Deucha are estimated to be among the world’s largest untapped reserves, with an estimated 500 million tonnes of basalt and 1,240 million tonnes of coal. The project is expected to generate around ?30,000 crore in investment and contribute up to 3 million tonnes of coal annually, primarily for West Bengal’s thermal power plants, reducing the region’s reliance on external coal sources.

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Jun 2026

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..