National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) officials are monitoring strictly a project, which will smooth coal transportation from Barkagaon to Banadag yard. NTPC is having three coal projects in Barkagaon and Keredari blocks namely Pankri Barwadih, Chatti Bariatu and Keredari. For fast coal transportation, NTPC is constructing a 14 km-long and 12-feet wide conveyor belt since 2015. This ambitious project of NTPC has missed the actual deadline of 2017.

NTPC General Manager Partha Majumdar said they are trying to complete the one part of this conveyor belt by March so as to start coal transportation. Banadag yard is situated close to Hazaribagh Railway Station.

Sources said at present, hundreds of heavy vehicles laden with coal are seen running on Hazaribagh-Barkagaon road everyday transporting coal to Banadag. NTPC sources said initially plan is to transport coal of Pankri-Barwadih project through this conveyor belt. They said once conveyor belt will start functioning, it will ease the traffic on Barkagaon road. This is the first time NTPC is constructing such an advance and long conveyor belt anywhere in India for smooth transportation of coal.

Majumdar said this conveyor belt has two parts. One will transport coal regularly and other will be in standby which will be used at the time of emergency. He admitted that project has missed the actual target of 2017 but said the delay was actually due to land related problems here. But now everything over and one part of the belt is almost ready, he added.

He said they were waiting for few machines to be installed finally to start the conveyor belt. He said once started, this world class fully computerised belt will transport coal 24X7 to Banadag yard from where it will sent to different parts of the country through goods train from Hazaribagh railway station.