The Hindu Business Line : Raking in problems

The senior officials of the Eastern Railway (ER) and Railway Board recently rushed to Durgapur steel plant (DSP) to review the issue of rake detention. Only a few days ago, ER clamped restrictions on the movement of both coal and iron ore wagons into the DSP on the ground of huge detention of rakes within the plant. So much so that even South Eastern Railways (SER) was asked to divert its rakes earmarked for DSP. About a dozen rakes reportedly got detained within the steel plant at one point of time. Considering that the plant’s requirement is about six to seven rakes a day, the detention of so many rakes became of matter of concern to the railway authorities, particularly during this time of the year when the demand for rakes is sky-high. The DSP authorities, understandably, did not take the restriction lightly, more so because the iron ore stock within the plant was low. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) took up the matter with the Railway Board. The restrictions, according to ER sources, have since been lifted. Meanwhile, SAIL has also drawn the attention of SER to large-scale pilferage of coking coal imported through Paradip port. The rakes passing through the SER’s Kharagapur Division are particularly vulnerable, it was pointed out.

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