State-run steel maker RINL is planning to start commercial production of forged wheels at its Rae Bareli unit in Uttar Pradesh by December-end, the company's chairman and managing director P K Rath has said.
Visakhapatnam-based Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) has set up a plant in Rae Bareli at a cost of around Rs 1,680 crore with a production capacity of one lakh pieces of forged wheels per annum.
"We are looking to begin the commercial production by the end of next month. It can be early also as we are waiting for foreign experts, (who are) expected to arrive this month to conduct certain trials required before commissioning the plant," Rath told PTI.
Earlier, the plan was to start the commercial production by March-April 2020 following the hot trial of forged wheel lines at the plant but it was disrupted due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, and the company had to postpone it, the CMD said.
In 2018, trial production of 430 mm steel rounds to be used for production of forged wheels was conducted.
The wheels produced at the unit will be supplied to the Indian Railways. At present, not 100 per cent demand of wheels is met through locally manufactured wheels, Rath said.
"We are confident after commissioning of the unit, the entire demand of the railways (of wheels) will be met from the domestically manufactured wheels. This will help reduce dependence on imports making India 'Aatmanirbhar' in production of forged wheel," he said.
Earlier, a senior Steel Ministry official had said that after achieving 100 per cent capacity, it will be expanded to two lakh pieces per annum.
RINL, under the Ministry of Steel, produces special steel, including wire rod coils, rounds, billets of different grades and dimensions.
It is the first shore-based integrated steel plant in the country.