The sinter plant at the upcoming IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) of SAIL commenced production on Monday. The Rs 704-crore project is a part of the estimated Rs 17,000-crore, 2.5-million tonne per annum integrated steel plant under construction at Burnpur near Asansol in West Bengal.

The steel plant is expected to be fully commissioned early next fiscal. Built by Larsen and Toubro Ltd, the sinter plant has an annual production capacity of 3.8 million tonnes. The plant is expected to supply up to 80 per cent of the total iron bearing capacity of the blast furnace at ISP, a spokesperson said.