Nagpur: Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) under the Ministry of Coal, has reported strong growth in coal production, offtake, and overburden removal during the first seven months of FY 2026–27.
From April to October 2026, WCL was the only CIL subsidiary to surpass its targets in all three key operational parameters. It achieved 102.47% of its production target, 108.82% of its offtake target and 104.56% of its overburden removal target.
The company added 4.53 million tonnes (MT) to its coal production during the period, exceeding the entire net production growth recorded by CIL over the same period.
Strong Growth in Production and Offtake
WCL recorded a sharp increase in coal production during October, producing 5.93 MT against 3.60 MT in October last year. This represented growth of 64.87%, the highest among major CIL subsidiaries. The company achieved 108.60% of its monthly production target.
Coal offtake rose to 6.67 MT from 4.44 MT a year earlier, registering growth of 50.16%. WCL achieved 102.40% of its monthly offtake target, making it the only major subsidiary to exceed that target.
For April–October 2026, WCL reported:
Coal production: 32.96 MT, up 15.92%.
Coal offtake: 41.56 MT, up 25.54%.
Overburden removal: 207.95 million cubic metres (MCuM), up 36.10%.
The company had also recorded the highest growth in production and offtake among CIL subsidiaries in September 2026.
Pithead Stock Reduced by 66%
WCL reduced its pithead coal stock from 13.034 MT on April 1, 2026, to 4.44 MT by October 31, liquidating around 8.6 MT, or nearly 66% of its opening stock.
Improved coordination with the Railways and closer monitoring of rake placement and loading helped drive the reduction. WCL loaded 6,146 rakes up to October 31, compared with 4,402 during the corresponding period last year, an increase of 39.6%.
Rake loading to the power sector rose by 40.8%, with supplies to MAHAGENCO recording particularly strong growth.
Mine-Level Monitoring and Clearances
The company attributed its operational performance to regular reviews of production, dispatch and mine-level issues, along with meetings with Area General Managers and frequent visits by senior management. Extending monthly review mechanisms to individual mines has also helped strengthen accountability and address operational bottlenecks.
Coordination with the Railways, State Governments and concerned ministries has supported the resolution of issues related to land, environmental approvals and forest clearances.
During FY 2026–27, WCL secured four environmental clearances or amendments and two forest clearances to support the continuity of mining operations.
Technology and Coal Quality
WCL has focused on improving transportation and loading infrastructure through all-weather coal transportation roads, rapid loading systems and automated weighbridges.
The company currently operates six Surface Miners and three Continuous Miners. Its focus on coal quality has also delivered results, with around 86% of coal samples collected between April and October confirming the declared grade.
Operational improvements helped reduce overloading charges, while October dispatches achieved 100% net realisation without debit loss.
Supporting Power Generation and Financial Performance
The increase in offtake has helped strengthen coal supplies to power plants and industries, supporting domestic availability and efforts to reduce dependence on imported coal.
Additional rakes supplied to MAHAGENCO are estimated to have supported around 5,800 million units of additional power generation in Maharashtra.
WCL's Profit Before Tax for April–September 2026 stood at Rs 1,352.26 crore, an increase of 76.3% over the corresponding period last year.
With higher production, increased rake loading and a substantial reduction in pithead stocks, WCL enters the second half of the financial year with strong operational momentum. The company said its focus would remain on sustaining performance and supporting India's energy security.
