New Delhi, May 5 (IANS): As many as 67 first mile connectivity (FMC) - for transportation of coal from pitheads to dispatch points - projects have been taken by the Coal Ministry, and are expected to be completed by 2027, official sources have said.

Out of the 67 FMC projects, Coal India Ltd (CIL) will take up 59, Singareni Collieries Company Ltd will undertake five while the remaining three will be taken up by Neyveli Lignite Company, the sources said.

In order to eliminate road transportation of coal in mines, the ministry has developed a plan to improve the mechanised coal transportation and loading system under FMC projects.

Crushing, coal size, and quick computer-assisted loading are advantages of coal handling plants (CHPs) and SILOs with rapid loading systems.

Reduced manual intervention, precise pre-weighed quantity, quicker loading, and better coal quality are all benefits of FMC projects, sources said.

Through implementation of FMCs, rakes and wagons will be more readily available if loading times are reduced. Less traffic on the roads will translate to less pollution and diesel consumption.

The government has set a target of generating 1.3 billion tonnes of coal in 2024-25 and 1.5 billion tonnes in 2029-30 in order to increase India's energy security and substituting imported coal with domestically mined coal.