The West Bengal government has commissioned the National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM) to conduct a feasibility study on underground coal mining at Deocha-Pachami in Birbhum without displacing residents. Keen to avoid delays due to mass relocation, the state is exploring mining across 2,000 of the 3,500 acres earmarked for the project.

The NIRM, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Mines, will assess the strength and vulnerability of the over-500-mtrs.-thick rock layer covering the coal reserves. The findings will determine whether extraction can proceed safely without risking collapse or affecting local communities. The project is critical to the state’s industrial strategy, particularly as it faces challenges attracting large-scale investment.

Underground mining could yield around 400 lakh tonne of coal from Deocha-Pachami’s 1,200 lakh ton reserve. The state has also received strong interest from global and Indian firms in response to a December 2024 tender. While initial open-cast mining has begun on 376 acres, and a coal gasification project is planned for another 1,000 acres, the government hopes to fast-track underground mining to create jobs without triggering local unrest over relocation.