Stage set for rolling out forged wheels from RINL UP plant
An agreement was signed with the Railways for an assured initial offtake of 55,000 wheels which will be progressively increased to 80,000 wheels
image for illustrative purpose
Visakhapatnam: In a significant development that will pave the way for commercial launch of forged wheels from the Rae Bareli plant of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the Lucknow-based Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the Ministry of Railways has declared that the products are manufactured as per the quality parameters specified by them.
The UP plant conceptualised during UPA Government is established with an investment of around Rs1,700 crore with a production capacity of one lakh pieces of forged wheels per annum.
An agreement was signed with the Railways for an assured initial offtake of 55,000 wheels which will be progressively increased to 80,000 wheels. About 50 acres of land was allotted by the Railways for the forged wheel plant adjacent to the Railway Coach Factory.
As per the agreement, RINL will supply the input material of 330 - 450 mm rounds from the New Caster installed in its plant premises to produce high speed wheels.
A source in RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, India's first shore-based integrated steel plant, told Bizz Buzz on Wednesday that after a few more clearances they will roll out forged wheels from their Lalgunj plant near Rae Bareli.
Earlier, the Railway Board had advised RDSO to conduct the inspection of the first lot of subject (WDP4) locomotive wheels before start of series production.
Responding to it, RINL had offered 13 numbers of subject wheels (10 machined wheels and 3 black wheels with heat treatment and before machining for inspection. Accordingly, RDSO officials visited the plant at Rae Bareli in March and subsequently observed that the some systems required further verification by them.
RINL later submitted the compliance of RDSO specifications. Based on the compliance submitted by RINL, RDSO experts again visited Rae Bareli on September 11 and 12. Inspection of the offered wheels was again done jointly by the experts from various wings of RDSO.
As per RDSO specification No. IRS-R-34, May'15 and RDSO Drawing No. D/WL-5061/R (Alt-5). M&C Dte vide note under reference (viii) communicated some system improvements. Observations were again communicated to RINL after which the company submitted a fresh compliance report.
After checking, RDSO accorded clearance vide notes issued on September 21 stating that wheels produced at Rae Bareli plant were found conforming to the specification.
It is pertinent to state that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in January cleared the proposal for 100 per cent privatisation of RINL, its joint ventures and subsidiaries as part of disinvestment.
VSP has a capacity to manufacture 7.3 million tonnes after completing expansion in phases from three million tonnes with a total investment of about Rs16,300 crore.
