Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL), a key subsidiary of Coal India Ltd operating in West Bengal and Jharkhand, has integrated AI drones for mine reclamation and ecological assessment at its Sonepur-Bazari mining area — a strategic deployment that signals a shift towards data-driven environmental governance in India’s coal sector. The move blends machine intelligence, geospatial science and ecological evaluation to improve monitoring of land restoration efforts, a critical issue for post-mining landscapes and nearby communities.Â
Mine reclamation — the process of restoring land after excavation to safe, stable and ecologically viable conditions — is integral to sustainable extractive industries. Historically, coal mining in India has left degraded land with limited vegetation and disrupted ecosystems, presenting climate resilience and public health challenges for surrounding towns and rural settlements. ECL’s introduction of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)represents one of the more technologically advanced reclamation strategies launched by a major coal producer in the country. The technology combines high-resolution aerial imaging with orthomosaic mapping, enabling large-scale composite photographs of the terrain. Spatial data is analysed with geographic information system (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS) tools to validate how vegetation, soil cover and plantation patterns evolve over time. Ecological surveys conducted on the ground complement this remote sensing data, providing a cross-verified picture of canopy growth, species distribution and overall restoration success.Â
Industry experts note that traditional reclamation assessments often relied on periodic manual surveys and subjective field observations. By contrast, AI-augmented geospatial analytics can uncover finer ecological signals and trends, improving accuracy and consistency and reducing human error in environmental reporting. Urban planners and sustainability experts suggest such digitised frameworks could set a benchmark for mining operations nationwide, especially in regions where coal production intersects with dense populations and fragile ecosystems. The initiative is being executed with scientific support from the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR), which brings expertise in remote sensing and ecological restoration methodologies. Collaborations of this nature point to a growing integration of research institutions with industry players in tackling legacy environmental impacts. Beyond technical accuracy, AI drone monitoring could anchor more transparent, data-led decision-making for mine closure planning — a crucial stage when operations cease and responsibility for land rehabilitation intensifies. In an era where climate resilience and green cover restoration are policy priorities, adopting such digital tools can help traditional industries align with long-term sustainability goals and community expectations.Â
Looking ahead, scaling these technologies across additional coalfields and strengthening regulatory frameworks around reclamation assessment will be key to ensuring that environmental stewardship keeps pace with production targets in India’s energy landscape.
