The Hindu Business Line : RITES study on Bhilai Steel Plant

With the volume of rail-borne traffic into and out of SAIL's Bhilai Steel Plant projected to go up by about seven million tonnes by 2011, it is impossible for the present infrastructure to handle the jump in traffic. A recent RITES study examines the various aspects of rail infrastructure and recommends measures to upgrade facilities at the steel plant.

THE railway infrastructure in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) under the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) is inadequate to meet the volume of rail-borne traffic, both inward and outward, projected to materialise six years from now, according to a study by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) which, therefore, has recommended various measures, estimated to cost several hundred crores of rupees, for improvement.

According to the RITES study, BSP's inward traffic is to rise from the present 17 million tonnes to 22 mt by 2011-12, and outward traffic from 4.15 mt to more than six mt during the same period. Which means, an additional seven mt of traffic — inward and outward together — will have to be handled by the Railways.

The study makes it clear that it will be impossible for the present exchange yards at Bhilai and Marauda to cope with the projected increase in traffic. It also emphasises the need for scrapping all manual handling of raw materials and introducing, in its place, mechanised handling.

The study examines the various aspects of rail infrastructure, such as exchange yards, internal rail network, handling facilities (including those for coal dust injection), loading and dispatch facilities for rolling mills, demurrage of inward and outward wagons and signals, communication and traffic control. The recommendations, therefore, are varied, covering various aspects of rail movement.

Thus, the procurement of wagons for future loading at the steel plant should be planned well in advance. This is because the demand for wagons, both Box and BRN types, for steel loading will increase to 300 per day from the present 190.

To overcome the deficiencies in infrastructure, the recommendations include creation of additional line capacity to accommodate full train length, construction of a new slag siding with full length, installation of additional coal tippler and extension of the coal tippler yard shunting neck to hold 58 Box wagons, procurement of additional locomotives in coal tippling yard and replacement of manual operation in coke oven complex by mechanised system. The study stresses that the inward movement of raw materials, such as ferromanganese and silico manganese, should be undertaken by road and the existing movement by rail in BCX wagons should stop. As an immediate measure, the manual unloading of coal for CDI (coal dust injection) in the raw material complex should be discontinued.

The iron ore requirement of BSP is projected to rise to 11.7 mt from the present 9 mt or so and, as a result, the average receipt of ore in BOBS rakes is likely to rise. However, the problem is the high detention of the rakes. The study is of the view that the Rowghat mines will be a dependable source of iron ore for BSP which therefore should abandon its dependence on other sources.

It is suggested that BSP should plan movement of ore in BOBS Mark II wagons fitted with airbrakes for the Rowghat circuit and the Railways may be advised to modify existing BOBR rakes to provide airbrakes and procure for future BOBS Mark II wagons for the same circuit.

Also, two non-commissioned lines in the existing ore yard should be commissioned to facilitate movement of BOBS rakes. There has to be some rationalisation of loading and dispatch for rolling mills so that more wagons can be loaded at a time. As for the new rail mill complex which has the facility for production of long rails of 130 metre, it has been suggested that BSP should urge the Railway Board and South East Central Railway to undertake a time study to fix free time for loading.

BSP has a total of about 235 kilometres of railway track inside the plant and derailment is frequent on this track. This calls for measures such as proper track maintenance as per the Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual and replacement of wooden sleepers by concrete or steel sleepers. It is noted with concern that the plant employs no trained executive or supervisor in Permanent Way management, although training facilities in this regard are available at the Pune-based Indian Institute of Permanent Way Engineers.

BSP has a fleet of a wide variety of locomotives totalling 80, requiring a higher inventory of spares and high maintenance. The Czech engines, which are difficult to maintain, should be replaced at the earliest. It is felt that the plant should switch over to one type of locomotive, particularly the WDS6 type.

At present, there is no mobile communication system to connect the locos and other field units for track maintenance and accident relief. Bharat Sanchar Nigan Ltd has indicated its willingness to provide WLL telephones for mobile units to step up communication within the plant area.

BSP, the study suggests, should approach the Railways for extension of the Freight Operation Information System (FOIS) to plant traffic control. It will be of immediate help if the information is available in advance about the empties and loads on run for the plant on the South-East Central Railway system.

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