Construction to start on Adani project

Indian mining giant Adani says it will break ground on its controversial Carmichael coalmine project in the next fortnight.

It says it is on track to begin construction of the multibillion-dollar project's rail link within the next 10 days.

"We will break ground within days to mark the official start of work on the rail link," Adani chief executive Jeyakumar Janakaraj said in a statement.

Mr Janakaraj said the company also remained on schedule to deliver its first coal in March 2020 and would announce major contracts within weeks.

Adani's announcement comes less than a week after thousands of protesters staged rallies across the country to call on the Queensland government to stop the western Queensland mine going ahead.

Rallies were held in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, as well as Port Douglas in Queensland's north, with protesters saying the project would destroy farmland and water tables and damage the Great Barrier Reef.