The Hindu Business Line : VISL seeks inclusion in Rlys' traffic list for priority wagon allotment

KARNATAKA-based Visvesvaraya Iron & Steel Ltd (VISL), a special steel plant under Steel Authority of India (SAIL), has urged the Indian Railways that it be included in the Railways' CBT (Central Board of Traffic) programme at the earliest to be eligible for priority allotment of wagons for transportation of raw materials.

An acute shortage of wagons for transportation of iron ore from National Mineral Development Corporation's mines, also located in the same State, has hit hard VISL.

Right now SAIL's integrated steel plants are covered by the CBT programme and, therefore, get priority in wagon allotment for transportation of raw materials. However, VISL, not being covered by the programme, is denied of the facility.

Meanwhile, SAIL has sent an SOS to the Railway Board seeking immediate allotment of more wagons for evacuation of finished steel out of the Durgapur Steel Plant. The availability of wagons to DSP has been less than satisfactory since the beginning of the month, it is said.

Against the daily average requirement of 50 wagons (Box G type) per day, the average daily allotment so far has been in the range of 28 wagons. The situation has been particularly bad in past three days. This has resulted in the accumulation of finished steel within the plant. According to an estimate, the stock has touched nearly 55,000 tonnes.

The uneven supply of wagons has also led to delay in rake formation, causing higher detention. It might be noted that the Railways often complains of detention of wagons at the plant level as it throws up a host of problems. The SAIL sources, however, have pointed out that the average detention period in Durgapur plant in past two months has been 64 hours, which, it is felt, is within the permissible limit.