Women employees ready to operate heavy dumper in Singareni

Singareni Collieries Company Limited has taken a historic step by preparing women employees to work as heavy dumper operators in open cast mines. Thirteen women completed HMV training and are expected to be considered for future recruitment as dumper operators

Peddapalli: For the first time in the company’s history, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has initiated steps to provide opportunities for women to work as heavy dumper operators. Thirteen women employees are ready to join duty after successfully completing heavy motor vehicle (HMV) training.

In open cast mines, the company uses massive dumpers ranging from 60 to 100 tonnes in capacity for transporting coal and overburden from quarry pits to the surface.

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For nearly five decades of open cast mining operations in Singareni, these heavy dumpers have been operated exclusively by male operators as the job requires physical endurance, driving skills and the ability to work under harsh conditions, including scorching heat, heavy rains, severe cold and round-the-clock three-shift operations.

In the wake of a steady increase in women employees in recent years, the state government directed Singareni management to effectively utilise women’s capabilities, skills and efficiency by providing them with suitable opportunities. Accordingly, the company invited applications from interested women employees willing to work as dumper operators in open cast mines.

Initially, around 35 women employees came forward. Since operating heavy dumpers requires not only a regular driving licence but also a heavy motor vehicle (HMV) licence, the management arranged specialised training through the Telangana Institute of Driving Education and Skills (TIDES) in Sircilla.

The company provided free heavy vehicle driving training at its own expense to interested women employees. Out of those trained, 13 women employees successfully completed the training and informed the company of their readiness to work as dumper operators.

The management stated that these women would be considered in the upcoming recruitment process for dumper operators.

Officials expressed confidence that, in the near future, women employees would be seen operating heavy dumpers in large numbers across Singareni mines. They stated that, for the first time in the history of the company, a women’s rescue team has also been constituted.

Speaking on the occasion, some of the trained women operators stated that although they initially felt apprehensive about whether they could handle such physically demanding and skill-oriented work, they gained confidence once they started operating the dumpers themselves.

They said that in today’s modern era, when women are excelling in all fields, including space exploration, operating mining dumpers is certainly achievable. They thanked the state government and Singareni management for providing such a valuable opportunity.