State-run national transporter, Indian Railways (IR) has floated a tender inviting private investor to construct a steel forged wheel manufacturing plant for high-speed trains being introduced across the country, government officials said on Thursday, September 15.
The sources said that IR is looking at private players to construct the plant and supply minimum 80,000 steel forged wheels per year to IR.
Currently, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) supplies estimated 100,000 units of forged steel wheels per year to railways but domestic demand still outstripped supplies, forcing IR to float an import tender for 39,000 units in favour of a China based manufacturer.
In May 2022, Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) had announced setting up forged steel wheel manufacturing plant in Chhattisgarh state with annual capacity of 25,000 units.
It might be mentioned that state run steel producer, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) started construction of a wheel manufacturing unit in northern state of Uttar Pradesh with annual capacity of 100,000 units but despite years of time and cost overrun is yet to commence production.
