Bharat Coking Coal (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India (CIL), has resumed operations at its long-idled Pootkee Balihari (PB) project in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. It marls the first operational mine developed under the mine developer and operator (MDO) model within the CIL ecosystem.

The project has been awarded to Eagle Infra India for a period of 25 years. The PB mine is expected to produce 52 million tonne of coking coal — a vital raw material for the steel and infrastructure sectors, with a peak rated capacity of 2.7 million tonne per year.

The relaunch of the PB project is part of broader efforts to reduce India’s dependency on imported coking coal and rejuvenate dormant coal assets through private participation. The project will also bring in advanced mining technologies and create local employment opportunities, spurring regional economic growth.

Coal India Chairman PM Prasad virtually inaugurated the mine and called it a “pioneering step” in transforming legacy assets. The PB project is a key component of Mission Coking Coal, aimed at enhancing domestic supply.