BSP to export rails to Sri Lanka

Trains in neighbouring Sri Lanka will chug on the rails produced by the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) the flagship entity of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). BSP, which is located about 40 km from here, had bagged an order to supply 6,500 Tonnes (T) of rail in Sri Lanka. The profile of rail for Sri Lanka is 45 E 1 and will be rolled as per Euro norms.

Though quantity wise, the order received by the BSP was not a big deal, the officials said, adding that but it is important for the company as it would be entering the market in the island nation of Sri Lanka for the first time. In fact, the BSP will be exporting rail after a gap of nearly a decade. BSP had earlier exported rails to Iran, South Korea, Egypt, Sudan, Argentina, Turkey, Bangladesh, Ghana, New Zealand and Malaysia. The officials said the rails rolled out from BSP had been world class and as per Indian Railway specifications, which is considered to be one of the most stringent in the world.

The hydrogen content in Bhilai's rails is less than 1.5 parts per million (ppm). BSP has so far produced 20.34 million tonnes of rails since inception. The company rolls out rails in lengths of 13 metre, 26 m, 130 m and 260 m.

BSP had bagged the contract of supplying the rails from M/s IRCON International Limited (a government company incorporated by the Ministry of Railways), which is laying the tracks in Sri Lanka, BSP's Senior Manager with the public relations department Subir Daripa told Business Standard.

The Sri Lankan rail officials visited the plant last week to see for themselves the production, rolling, testing and quality of rails, Daripa said, adding that after getting satisfied, the order to supply 6,500 Tonnes of rail was placed. The company had started work on the order, he added. In 2009-10, BSP recorded the highest-ever loading of 2,31,470 T of 26 metre rails as against previous best of 2,13,652 in 2008-09.