Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has set a December deadline for lighting up the blast furnace of the 2.7 million tonnes (mt) IISCO Steel Plant in West Bengal.
The ₹17,000-crore plant, which is replacing the 100-year-old steel making facility, is already delayed by three years due to land-related problems. The facility is expected to be commissioned in January.
According to SAIL sources, the project, coming up on 953 acres, faced unforeseen challenges while under development.
“Particularly, the construction work for the crucial steel-melting units could not take place as scheduled; first because of layers of slag to be removed ran deeper than estimated; and second an unauthorised occupation in a portion of the project area by the local people posed a serious hurdle for years”, said an official.
A part of the basic oxygen furnace and the casting unit at the plant at Burnpur are almost ready to commence operation.
“Last week’s first hot trial of the second billet caster marked the beginning of the final leg of the project,” said the official.
The raw material-handling systems, coke oven battery, sinter plant, wire rod mill and power plant are ready.