Indian integrated steel mill operator Shyam Metalics Limited (SML) has expanded railway infrastructure at its Odisha plant site to improve logistical efficiencies in handling flows of raw materials and finished products, a company statement said on Wednesday, May 20.
The previous setup of two dedicated railway lines has been expanded to four, including a lead line, branching from Rengali railway head station, three branch lines, and an engine escape line.
This infrastructure upgrade, approved by national transporter Indian Railways (IR) in a detailed project report (DPR) in 2015, is now fully operational with completed overhead electrification, the company said.
The expanded rail system is designed to handle more than 110 rakes per month, while the previous setup could only manage about 60 percent of the increased volume of raw materials and finished goods.
To address this, the company said, it plans to introduce wagon tipplers by 2028. This addition is expected to enhance rail operation efficiency, allowing faster turnaround times and a 100 percent increase in rail handling capacity, SML said in its statement.
It said that the 6.5 million mt per year steel mill, which includes a coal washery and power plant, would be ensured with sustainable growth and efficiency of operation in raw material and finished product handling following the expansion of the rail infrastructure.