RAIPUR: Before aluminium is produced at the smelter, alumina, a key raw material, travels thousands of kilometres to reach the production facility. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and is referred to as a Green Metal.
Thousands of tonnes of alumina are transported to BALCO’s smelters in Korba, Chhattisgarh, around 220 km from Raipur. Timely and reliable transportation of the raw material is essential for smooth operations, as any disruption in the supply chain can affect production.
As BALCO moves towards its 1 MTPA target, the company has inducted its second Bogie Tank Alumina Powder (BTAP) M-1 (B12) Railway Rake at its railway yard.
The rake has been inducted under Indian Railways’ Liberalised Special Freight Train Operator (LSFTO) Scheme. The move is aimed at increasing rail-based transportation, reducing dependence on road movement and improving long-term logistics efficiency.
Rail transport allows large volumes of material to be moved safely and consistently. Increased use of rail is also expected to reduce logistics-related emissions and support Vedanta’s vision of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2030.
BALCO said live monitoring, centralised CCTV surveillance inside plant yards and continuous operational oversight help teams respond quickly and ensure smoother movement of material across the supply chain.
BALCO is owned by the London-based Vedanta Group, in which the Government of India holds a 49 per cent stake.