Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy inaugurated the state-of-the-art ‘5G Use Case Test Lab’ at the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) Limited in Ranchi. This cutting-edge facility is aimed at driving digital transformation in the coal sector by developing and testing 5G-based applications tailored to industry needs. CMPDI has been designated as the Centre of Excellence for leveraging 5G technology by the Ministry of Coal.
During the event, Minister Reddy praised CMPDI’s innovation in mining safety, efficiency, and sustainability. He emphasized the lab’s role in addressing the sector’s challenges using advanced technologies. The inauguration was attended by key officials, including Coal Secretary Vikram Dev Dutt (1993-batch IAS officer) and Coal India Limited (CIL) Chairman P.M. Prasad.
The lab, a representation of an industrial 5G private network, will enable the development of applications such as Industrial IoT (IIoT) sensors, vehicle management systems, and real-time monitoring. Future initiatives include smart mining, predictive maintenance, digital twins, and AR/VR applications. Additionally, the minister unveiled CMPDI’s new corporate logo and a sculpture symbolizing sustainable practices.
This initiative is expected to enhance CIL’s operational efficiency, safety, and data security, marking a significant step toward digital transformation in India’s coal mining sector.
