Coal news and updates

Share of coal loading via silos up at 29% in FY26

Demonstrating a clear and sustained push towards improving coal logistics, share of coal loaded through silos has increased from 18.8 percent during 2022–23 (FY23) to 29 percent during 2025–26 (till date), according to an official release. A high-level meeting was held between Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, and Union Minister of Railways, Electronics & Information Technology, and Information & Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, to review coal logistics and the efficiency of transportation systems. The primary focus of the discussion was on accelerating silo loading infrastructure, which plays a critical role in improving the quality and speed of coal evacuation. Silo loading refers to the mechanized process of loading bulk materials (like coal) into railway wagons directly from a storage silo, rather than using conventional methods like front-end loaders or manual shoveling. Silo loading ensures uniform coal sizing, eliminates complaints related to oversized boulders from power plants, reduces damage to wagons, and enables reliable operations unaffected by adverse weather conditions. The Ministers reviewed ongoing and proposed projects aimed at expanding silo infrastructure across key coalfields. The meeting also underscored the need for enhanced inter-ministerial coordination to ensure seamless operations from mine to plant.