NTPC Vindhyachal dispatches first pond ash rake for the NHAI Varanasi project.

NTPC Vindhyachal dispatched its first pond ash rake under the Rail-Cum-Road (RCR) mode on October 5, 2026, for a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project in Varanasi.

The rake, moved under a dedicated contract, departed from Krishnashila Siding through Indian Railways. NTPC described the initiative as an effort to promote sustainable utilization of pond ash and a model that could be adopted by other NTPC stations.

Flag-off ceremony

Kishore Kumar Hota, Executive Director, Vindhyachal, flagged off the rake in the presence of M. Suresh, General Manager (O&M), N. K. Singh, General Manager (Maintenance & ADM), and other senior station officials.

Rail-Cum-Road transport model

Under the RCR model, rail transportation is combined with road movement to deliver pond ash from the power station to the project site.

Pond ash is generated from coal-fired power generation and stored in ash ponds. It can be utilised as construction material, including as fill for road infrastructure projects.

NTPC expects the initiative to facilitate the large-scale movement and utilisation of pond ash while reducing dependence on road transportation. The use of rail for bulk movement is also expected to lower fuel consumption and associated carbon emissions.

Implications for rail and infrastructure logistics

The movement creates an additional bulk cargo stream for Indian Railways while enabling the transportation of pond ash in larger volumes.

The initiative also links power-generation by-products with infrastructure development, supporting the productive reuse of ash in road construction projects.