The Jindal Steel and Power limited (JSPl) has achieved a landmark by becoming India’s first and only manufacturer of ‘Head Hardened Rails’ for modern hi-speed trains and metros, according to a company press release.
The landmark achievement also propels JSPl into the elite club of 7 global steel majors, who have the capability to manufacture head hardened rails in the world, it informed.
The plant with an investment of `200 Crores, is capable of delivering 30,000 MT of rails per month and has been set up in technical collaboration with M/S SMS MEER, Germany.
Head Hardening technology entails a special heat treatment process which requires very precise temperature control to achieve nearly 50% higher hardness as compared to a normal rail.
Naveen Jindal, Chairman – JSPl said: “In line with the Government’s thrust on ‘Make in India’, JSPl has successfully completed trials of Head Hardened Rails and is all set for commercial production.”
Ravi Uppal, MD & Group CEO, JSPl while speaking on the occasion, said —“The government’s renewed impetus on railway infrastructure development and the proposed introduction of high speed and bullet trains necessitates the establishment of domestic facility to fulfill the need of Indian Railways.
We envisage our indigenously produced rail product line which includes India’s longest rails and head hardened rails, to be the preferred choice for the upcoming metro and high speed rail corridors in India, he said.
Hitherto, such rails used in Metro projects as well as high speed freight corridors have been imported. JSPl’s indigenously produced, international quality rails - besides offering substantial economy in prices, will facilitate delivery in shorter times and smaller order quantities when required, thereby reducing the dependence on imports as well as savings of precious foreign exchange, the press release informed.
JSPl is producing the longest single piece track rails measuring 121 metres at its Rail and Universal Beam Mill in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, it informed.