The SCCL had put up a pioneering effort in the introduction of mechanisation in coal mining industry ,in India. Such an effort finds explanation in its status of being the oldest public sector coal company. Continuous efforts have been made to replace , progressively, the conventional technology and to introduce modern machinery . technology occupies the top position among the priorities of perspective plan and , it certainly holds the key to the objectives and targets of the plan.

“The coal cutting machine –Gathering arm loader-shuttle car “ system of mechanisation along with belt conveyors for development of seams was successfully used by SCCL from the late 40s to the early 80s . This system of mechanisation was not adaptable for depillaring operations , and therefore found only limited application in development of flat seams

Subsequently , the side dump loaders(SDL) and load-haul-dumpers (LHD) which combine the operation of loading of coal at the face and transport of it by belt conveyors, became available .SCCL introduced these machines in the years 1978 and 1979 respectively. The LHDs ,have been used for mechanized depillaring operations since 1983,for the first time by the company

The SDLs and LHDs need gradients flatter than about one in six for efficient operation and in view of the limited deposits with such flat gradients,application of these machines are envisaged only in a few mines in Ramagundam,Yellandu and Kothagudem coalfields