Coal India Launches Coal Atlas & AI-Powered Control Centre; Marks 50 Years with 10-Fold Output Growth
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Institutions: Ministry of Coal
Coal India Limited (CIL) has unveiled a suite of technology- and data-driven initiatives to modernise coal mining and strengthen resource planning. The flagship launch is the Coal Atlas, developed by CMPDI, which provides high-resolution geological mapping, updated coal-block data, and improved exploration intelligence to support investors, planners and policymakers.
CIL also inaugurated an AI-enabled Integrated Control & Command Centre (ICCC) at Eastern Coalfields Limited, offering real-time mine surveillance, productivity tracking, equipment monitoring and safety oversight. Two new Mine Developer & Operator (MDO) projects — Gopinathpur and Chinakuri — were launched under a revenue-sharing model, marking continued expansion of coal production capacity alongside digital transformation.
These initiatives come as CIL enters its 51st year. Over five decades, the company’s coal production has increased ten-fold — from 79 MT in 1975 to 781 MT in FY 2024-25 — underscoring its central role in India’s energy security as it transitions toward digitisation, safety-led mining and cleaner pathways.
These initiatives signal a shift in India’s coal operations toward automation, precision resource planning, transparent governance and operational safety, aligning traditional energy infrastructure with data-centric and climate-aligned planning pathways.
As India balances energy security with decarbonisation, AI-enabled surveillance, digital mapping and modern mining models help increase productivity, reduce risk, and support cleaner, monitored operations, laying groundwork for diversification into critical minerals, coal gasification and renewables.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India accelerate the rollout of digital command centres and resource-mapping tools across coal mines to enhance safety, efficiency, transparent monitoring and low-carbon mining practices while meeting energy-security needs?
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