The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
NEW DELHI, APR 13, 2023
In its endeavour to contribute to an “AtmaNirbhar Bharat”, Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSP) will more than double its rail making capacity to 2.2 million tonnes by setting a state-of-the-art Rail & Heavy structure mill at its Angul Steel complex in Odisha with an annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
“JSP will set up a new 1.2 MTPA rail mill at Angul. After the commissioning of the new mill, the total rail-making capacity will be more than doubled to 2.2 MTPA,” a company statement said on Thursday.
Though JSP did not disclose investment figures, sources said the estimated investment would be in the range of Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 3,000 crore.
JSP owns and operates 1 MTPA rail mill at its Raigarh unit in Chhattisgarh, where it manufactures speciality rails like 1175 HT, R350 HT, asymmetric rails, and 1080 HH (head hardened) rails for the Railways, metro projects and high-speed freight corridors.
The Raigarh Rail mill is also supplying 260-metre rails to Indian Railways, dedicated freight corridors (DFCCs) and other critical projects of national importance. Such long Rails with minimum welds are a key element in increasing Track Safety and Comfort.
These rails are an import substitution product, required for heavy axle loads of more than 25 metric tonnes. Such long rails with minimum welds are a key element in increasing track safety and comfort, it said.
JSP’s speciality rails of 1080 HH grade are being utilized at almost all the Metro and RRTS systems in India. Such rails are also used in special projects of national civil-military importance of remote connectivity having difficult terrains such as the USBRL Project in Jammu & Kashmir and Sivok-Rangpo Project in West Bengal, the statement said.
“JSP is committed to supporting the Government’s initiatives of Gati Shakt Yojana, as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan by making available domestically produced import substitution products at competitive prices. JSP is proactively adding and augmenting further rail manufacturing capacity to support the modernization of the Indian Rail network,” Jindal Steel & Power Managing Director Bimlendra Jha said in a statement.
To help build a future-ready national rail infrastructure, JSP has successfully developed 60E1 1175 Heat Treated (HT) Rails suitable for high speed and high axle load applications.
“Even though there is surplus rail capacity in India, there are markets abroad we will be looking to feed as well after meeting India’s requirements,” he added.
JSP is also exporting its “Made in India” rails to multiple countries around the world. It has supplied speciality rail blooms for the European railways, thus positioning itself as a world-class rail manufacturer.
