Coal in India
Where the Coal Is
India's coal lies mainly in Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, far from many demand centres.
Geography shapes logistics.
Eastern belt
Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh hold large reserves.
Quality
Indian coal has high ash content and lower energy value than imports.
Jharia
Underground fires have burned for over a century, affecting the surrounding towns.
Transport
Coal moves mostly by rail to power plants across the country.
A long haul
Coal from Odisha travels by train for days to reach a plant in western India.
Assuming Indian coal is of uniform quality
Grades vary widely.
Key takeaways
- Reserves lie mostly in the east.
- Ash content is high.
- Jharia has burning fires.
- Rail carries most coal.
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