BENGALURU: The historic steel manufactory that was started at nearly the end of the first world war in 1918 in Bhadravathi in Shimoga by the Mysore royal family and which supplied some of the finest steel to the nation which had been closed will be reopened in a few days time.
The Steel Authority of India Limited, in an official order on Tuesday, said that manufacturing will commence at this historical plant from the 10th of August in two shifts on a rotation basis. The order informed that all the maintenance and service departments need to start making necessary arrangements to recommence operations. The order from Vishweshwaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi said, "All trail operations should be completed before preheating schedule on August 7."
With just five days left sources on ground zero said workers and those who were part of VISL Bhadravathi could barely contain their excitement about its reopening, considering Bhadravathi was closed due to economic reasons.
It may be recalled that an official statement by Minister for Steel Jyothiraditya Scindia in parliament in February of this year said that, "VISL was closed due to high cost of production, low volume of production and lack of an operational captive iron-ore mine to sustain the raw material necessary for the production of steel."
Shimoga MP BY Raghvendra said, "I am pleased to announce that manufacturing will begin in the Bhadravati VISL plant thanks to the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia."
He said this is a momentous decision for those dependent on VISL Bhadravati and overall for all the people of Bhadravathi. It is needless to say that this breakthrough has followed relentless rounds of meetings spearheaded by BY Raghavendra with officials and experts stretching many months. With LS polls due in just about nine months this reopening is bound to be a game-changer for the ruling party.