JSPL bags order to supply 2,308T head hardened rails to Kolkata Metro

Kolkata, India (Urban Transport News): The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) has issued a letter of acceptance (LOA) to private steel maker Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) to supply 2,308-tonne head hardened rails for Kolkata Metro Rail project. Confirming the receipt of order, V R Sharma, Managing Director, JSPL said:

We have got an order of 2,308 tonne head hardened rails of 1080 HH grade from KMRC. The Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) (under Ministry of Railways) has also given its approval for manufacturing and supply of 60E1 grade and 1080 HH grade head hardened rail.

However, Sharma did not disclose the total value of the order received from the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation. He said that the order will be supplied once the situation stabilizes post lockdown. Commenting on the impact of lockdown on the company's operations, Sharma said:

JSPL had some export orders and it is fulfilling them at the moment. The market is down in India, the demand for steel has been affected. We had taken orders from outside India and we are supplying these orders to countries like Vietnam, Saudi Arab, Thailand, and Europe. Our production levels are also maintained.

Speaking about the relaxation for the sector, he said that the government would be that at least those steel MSMEs which are not in COVID-19 hotspot areas should be allowed to resume operations. Presently there are about 3-4 lakh MSMEs are working in the steel sector in the country. He suggested that at least those which are not in the affected and hotspots areas can be allowed to resume work. A lot of people and their families depend on these MSMEs for their livelihood.

The government can also think of a similar move in other sectors as well. This will help in reducing the burden on the people in the entire chain from manufacturing to the supplier to consumer. The head hardened rails are used in high-speed freight corridors and metro rail projects. These rails are manufactured using the head hardening technology to bear about 50 percent higher pressure compared to normal rails.