Hyderabad: In a major milestone for Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), the first rake of coal from Naini (Odisha) reached Telangana National Thermal Power Station (NTPC) in Mancherial districts on Thursday. Loaded with approximately 4,000 tonnes of coal, the rake travelled 1,131 kilometres, marking the first-ever transportation of coal from an SCCL-owned mine outside Telangana to the state.The arrival of the inaugural coal rake created a festive atmosphere at Singareni Thermal Power Plant (STPP) at Jaipur in Mancherial district. The inaugural consignment comprised 4,000 tonnes of high-quality G-10 grade coal transported from Odisha in 59 box wagons. The coal block, allocated to SCCL by the union ministry of Coal on August 13, 2015. It was unutilised for many years before the Congress govt expedited its development. Coal production at the Naini mine was formally inaugurated on April 16, 2025, and the first coal consignment has now reached Telangana.The Naini coal block has estimated reserves of 340 million tonnes, an annual production capacity of 10 million tonnes and an operational life of 36 years. Officials said the high-grade coal from the mine will help ensure uninterrupted fuel supply to the STPP at Jaipur and strengthen Telangana’s long-term power generation capacity. The mine is expected to remain a major source of fuel for Telangana’s power sector for decades to come.The SCCL said deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka personally visited Odisha twice and held discussions with the Odisha govt and senior officials to expedite pending approvals. Following the completion of all clearances, he virtually inaugurated coal production at the Naini mine on 16 April 2025. The arrival of the first coal rake in Telangana is the result of these sustained efforts.Currently on an official visit to the US, deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka released a video message congratulated the SCCL management, officers and employees. He described the arrival of the first Naini coal rake as a historic occasion in the history of Singareni and said “the state govt would continue extending full support for the expansion and strengthening of SCCL. The arrival of the first Naini coal rake marks the beginning of a new era that will secure a brighter future for coming generations,” he said.Vikramarka said that SCCL has already secured the Tadicherla-2 Block and recently acquired the Manuguru Dip-side Block through auction. The deputy CM expressed confidence that more coal blocks would be secured in the future. Looking ahead, he said Singareni should expand beyond conventional coal mining into critical minerals and rare earth minerals, emerging as a globally competitive mining company. He added that the govt is prepared to procure the world’s most advanced mining equipment, including cutting-edge technologies from Caterpillar, to modernize SCCL operations.SCCL chairman and managing director Buddhaprakash Jyoti thanked the govts of Telangana and Odisha, Indian Railways, and all officers and employees who contributed to the successful transportation of the first coal rake from Odisha to Telangana.ends
