SAIL is likely to fire up the blast furnace of its Burnpur plant in West Bengal in the next 10 days.
As it takes a few weeks to heat up and stabilise, SAIL expects to begin sychronisation some time early next year. On Thursday, it began hot trial of the second converter of the project.
Among the major facilities already completed include coke oven battery, sinter plant, wire rod mill and power plant.
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. According to SAIL sources, the project, coming up on 953 acres, faced unforeseen challenges while under development.