Rake shortfall keeps steel, pellet makers in a bind

An industry source said the wagon shortage for iron ore transport had reached 75 per cent

An acute shortfall of railway rakes meant for iron ore movement has hurt the supplies of the raw material to steel and pellet manufacturers across the country.

As rakes are getting increasingly diverted to meet the coal requirement of thermal power producers, there are not enough rakes to despatch iron ore. An industry source said the wagon shortage for iron ore transport has reached to 75 per cent.

"Nearly 75 per cent of the steel industries operating in the country are dependent on external iron ore supplies.There is a growing crisis of iron ore supplies to steel and iron ore