Argada Area

Argada Area

Location
Argada Area Location in Jharkhand Argada Area Argada Area (India)
Location	South Karanpura Coalfield
Coordinates	23.6477°N 85.4504°E / 23.6477; 85.4504
Owner
Company	Central Coalfields Limited
Website	centralcoalfields.in/cmpny/hstry.php

Argada Area is one of the operational areas of the Central Coalfields Limited located in the Ramgarh and Hazaribagh districts in the state of Jharkhand, India.

The projects of the Argada Area are: Gidi A Open Cast, Gidi C opencast, Religara opencast/ underground, Sirka opencast, Sirka underground, Argada underground, Giddi Washery. The area office is at Sirka, PO Argada 829101.

Mining activity

3km
2miles

River

Damodar

Sirka

CT

Religara

CT

Gidi

CT

CCL Argada Area Office

A

Gidi washery

W

Argada Colliery

U

Sirka colliery

O

Religara colliery

M

Gidi colliery

O

  

Collieries in the CCL Argada Area (South Karanpura Colafield)
U: Underground colliery, O: Open Cast colliery, M: Mixed colliery, W: Washery, S: Facility, A: Administrative headquarters, CT: census town, H: historical, religious, tourist centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Mines and projects

Barkakana–Son Nagar line
km 0 Son Nagar Mughalsarai Jn. · Gaya Jn. 8 Baghabishnupur 16 Ankorah 22 Barkisalaiya 30 Nabinagar Road Bihar Jharkhand border 39 Kajrat Nawadih 46 Japla 53 Haidar Nagar 58 Kosiara 65 Mohammad Ganj 71 Satbahini 77 Untari Road 82 Karkatta 87 Sigsigi to Chunar 135 Billi to Singrauli 132 Salai Banwa 124 Paras Pani 119 Gurmura 110 Jogidih 100 Renukut 93 Muirpur Road 85 Jharokhas 78 Dudhinagar Kanhar River 66 Mahuariya 56 Wyndhamganj Uttar Pradesh Jharkhand border 44 Nagaruntari 32 Ramna MBRL siding Banki River 21 Meralgram 10 Garhwa North Koel River 93 0 Garhwa Road 99 Tolra 104 Lalgarh Bihar Halt 109 Rajhura Amanat River 120 Kajri to Rafiganj (planned) 126 Daltonganj 134 Chianki Auranga River 141 Kechki 148 Mangra Halt to Ambikapur (planned) 154 Barwadih 162 Chhipadohar 171 Hehegara Halt 181 Kumendi 188 Bendi 194 Latehar 201 Demu 209 Richughuta 217 Chetar 227 0 Tori Tori–Shivpur–Koderma line 14 Bodagram 30 Barkichampi 36 Hendlaso Bhogta Bagicha Hindalco Siding 44 Lohardaga 53 Irgaon 58 Akashi 64 Nagjua 72 Narkopi 82 Tangerbansli 89 Itki 98 Piska to Lodhma (planned) Hatia–Rourkela line 109 Argora 111 Ranchi Netaji S.C.Bose Gomoh–Hatia line Barkakana–Ranchi line 233 Mahuamilan Damodar River 247 Nindra 249 McCluskieganj Piparwar CCP/CHP Siding Damodar River Khalari Cement Plant siding 255 Khalari Hesalong Colliery siding 261 Ray 269 Kole Block Halt 275 Hendegir 278 Chhapar Halt 283 Tokisud Religara Colliery siding Giddi Colliery siding Damodar River 290 Patratu Sayal Colliery siding JSEB Thermal Power Station Saunda Colliery siding JSPL Steel and Power plant 299 Bhurkunda to Gomoh/ Koderma 308 Barkakana Barkakana–Ranchi line Barkakana–Muri–Chandil line

Gidi is an old colliery that started functioning in 1958. Several seams (Argada, Argada-A, Argada-B, Sirka, Bansgarha, Hatidhari and upper & lower Semana) have been worked by underground mining methods, either through independent mine entries / inclines or drifts from one seam to another. In addition, the mine has been worked by opencast methods in six patches (Quarries 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6). Except Qaurries 2 and 3, all the other quarries are filled up water to a maximum water level of 336.20 metres (1,103.0 ft). Giddi-A open cast project is located in the east central part of South Karanpura Coalfield. All the underground workings of Giddi-A colliery were stopped since March 1984. Presently the mine operation is limited to opencast working in Quarry no. 3.

The Pre-Feasibility Report for working in Giddi-A colliery covers the area of existing working in Quarry nos. 2 and 3 of Giddi-A along with a new patch transferred from Religara Colliery in an adjacent location north east of Quarry no. 3. Two working sections have been envisaged in this scheme – the western section being an existing working section and the eastern section is a green field area. The combined mineable reserve of both the sections is 3.70 million tonnes. The estimated life of the eastern section is 6 years and the western section is 3 years.

The Sirka opencast project is located in the eastern part of the South Karanpura Coalfield. It was earlier owned by Bird & Company and was taken over at the time of nationalisation in 1973. At that time it produced 0.30-0.35 million tonnes per year, using both underground and opencast methods. As of 2012–13, Sirka project was operating in Argada Area with an annual capacity of 0.25 million tonnes per year of raw coal. Sirka is a census town in Ramgarh (community development block) in Ramgarh district.

8km
5miles

Bhairavi
River

Damodar
River

Bokaro
River

CCL Rajrappa Area

CCL Kuju Area

CCL
Hazaribagh Area

CCL Argada Area

CCL Barka
Sayal Area

Patratu
Super TPP

P

Rajrappa

T

Gola

R

Ghatotand

R

Dulmi

R

Bhurkunda

R

Bhadani Nagar

R

Ramgarh Cantonment

M

Topa

CTV

Taping

CT

Sirka

CT

Sewai

CT

Seota

CT

Saunda

CT

Sanri

CT

Patratu

CT

Orla

CT

Marar

CT

Mandu

CT

Lapanga

CT

Kuju

CT

Kedla

CT

Jainagar

CT

Hesla

CT

Chitarpur

CT

Bongabar

CT

Barughutu

CT

Ara

CT

Barkakana

CT

Balkundra

CT

  

Cities, towns and locations in Ramgarh district in North Chotanagpur Division
M: municipality, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, T: tourist centre, P: power plant
Abbreviation used- TPP: thermal power project
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

The Argada underground project is located in the eastern part of the South Karanpura Coalfield. It was earlier owned by Bird & Company and was taken over at the time of nationalisation in 1973. At that time, it produced 0.35 million tonnes per year, using underground methods. Argada underground project has a production capacity of 0.06 million tonnes per year. The Damodar flows along its western and southern boundaries. It is about 10 km from Ramgarh Cantonment.

Gidi Non-Coking Coal Washery was set up in 1975 with an installed capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year. According to a newspaper report Gidi Washery was closed in October 2020.

Note: For Hazaribagh district map see Barka Sayal Area

Illegal mining activities

According to the Report on Prevention of Illegal Coal Mining and Theft, “The main source of illegal mining of coal and theft is abandoned mines. After economic extraction is over, the remaining coal in an abandoned mine is stolen by coal mafias, villagers leading to roof falling, water flooding, poisonous gas leaking, leading to the death of many labourers.”In the Argada Area of CCL illegal mining activities are taking place in Argada B&J Incline, Sirka Quarry 1& 2, Gidi 1, 5, 2. Illegal mining also takes place in the fringe areas and outside the leasehold areas of CCL.

Educational facilities for employees’ children

Central Coalfields Limited provides support for reputed institutions/ trusts for setting up 10+2 pattern CBSE schools for children of CCL employees. It provides 109 buses to employees’ children to schools and back. Among the schools in the South Karanpura Coalfield that receive financial help or structural support are: DAV Urimari, DAV Gidi.

Medical facilities

In the South Karanpura Coalfield, CCL has the following facilities:

AKC Bhurkunda (Hospital) at Bhurkunda with 35 beds has 4 general duty medical officers and 1 specialist. Among the facilities it has are: X‐ray machine, ECG machine, nebulizer, patho lab. It has 2 ambulances.

Central Saunda Hospital at Saunda has 15 beds.

ARH Sayal at Sayal with 20 beds has 1 general duty medical officer. Among the facilities it has are: X‐Ray machine, patho lab. It has 2 ambulances.

There are central facilities in the Central Hospital, Gandhinagar at Kanke Road, Ranchi with 250 beds and in the Central Hospital, Naisarai at Ramgarh with 150 beds.

AKC, Gidi A at Gidi with 31 beds has 6 general duty medical officer and 1 specialist. Among the medical facilities it has is: X-ray machine. It has 3 ambulances.

There are dispensaries at Sirka and Gidi C in the Argada Area, and at Urimari in the Barka Sayal Area.