RAIPUR: The metro trains in the country will now run on the indigenously manufactured rails built in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh. The Joka-Esplanade Metro in Kolkata is the first to use such rails made by Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) from its Raigarh-based plant, some 220 km east of Raipur.
“The head hardened (HH) rail produced at the company’s Raigarh plant is intended for high-speed rails.
Now 20 percent of the requirement of head hard rails in India will be sourced indigenously, which is seen as a major step towards the Atmanirbhar Bharat (Make-in-India) initiative.
The Joka-Esplanade metro is laying 1080 grade HH rail tracks prepared by JSPL using an additional heat treatment system,” said DK Saraogi, chief operating officer, JSPL.
Earlier all the Metros across the country have so far been operating on rails imported from Japan, Europe, and other foreign companies.
The specially designed HH tracks at Raigarh steel plant accomplished the internationally defined standards of high speed (over 250 km per hour) for trains. These tracks are far stronger than common rail tracks.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has selected JSPL's head hardened rails through a rigorous auction process after tightening up to international standards.
“The Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) have successfully tested JSPL's railways on international standards in every manner and has given its approval”, Saraogi added.
RVNL, which is the agency bringing about the Joka-Esplanade Metro project, has placed order to procure the HH rails from JSPL through a rigorous bidding process, JSPL officials stated.
It is believed that the manufacture of world-class rails in the country will also save foreign exchange.