The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has opened bids for the 11th round of commercial coal mine auctions, with strong participation from industry players.
Out of 27 mines offered, bids were submitted for 20, with a total of 70 online and 72 physical bids.
The transparent auction process saw the electronic decryption of online bids and the physical opening of sealed offline documents, ensuring full transparency.
In the 11th round, 65 bids were received for 15 coal mines, while the 2nd attempt of the 10th round attracted 5 bids for 5 mines. Notably, all mines in the 10th round’s second attempt received single bids, indicating targeted interest in specific assets.
Among the 11th-round mines, the Bandhak West mine attracted the highest interest with 15 bids. Other significant mines included Vijay Central (8 bids), Seregarha (6 bids), Sahapur East (6 bids), and Banai & Bhalumunda (5 bids). The 10th round’s second attempt saw single bids for mines such as Tandsi III & Tandsi III Extn. (coking coal) and Senduri, with all mines categorized as non-coking except Tandsi III.
The auctions attracted 46 companies, including over 15 first-time bidders like a Coal India subsidiary. Prominent participants included Jindal Power Limited, Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd, and Jharkhand Exploration and Mining Corporation Limited, alongside established players like Adani Natural Resources, JSW Steel Ltd, and Bharat Aluminium Company Limited.
The bids will undergo evaluation by a multi-disciplinary Technical Evaluation Committee, with qualified bidders moving to the electronic auction phase.