Visakhapatnam Steel Plant Under Pressure as Output Falls

The Union Steel Ministry has issued a strong and clear message to the management and workforce of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, stating that the survival and long term viability of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited now rests entirely on achieving higher and stable production levels. During their recent visit, Joint Secretaries Abhijit Narendra and Daya Nidhan Pandey stressed that further financial support from the Central government is unlikely and that RINL must now stand on the strength of its operational performance.

Interacting with nearly one thousand employees across multiple sessions, the officials along with RINL CMD Ajit Kumar Saxena reviewed the current operational and financial status of the plant. According to the official release, the plant must ideally reach nineteen thousand tonnes of hot metal production per day, which corresponds to more than ninety percent capacity utilisation. This target has become essential for the future of the organisation.

The Joint Secretaries recalled that the plant had been functioning with only one blast furnace until last year and was producing barely thirty percent of its capacity. With Central government assistance two blast furnaces were revived and the third furnace resumed operations more recently. However, the officials expressed concern that production has not improved after the restart of the third furnace and has actually declined this month.

A major point of worry has been the repeated conveyor breakdowns that continue to disrupt operations. The nature and frequency of these failures have created suspicion and the officials said that they could not rule out the possibility of intentional damage. They added that such actions, if proven, would invite strict consequences.

To assess the situation firsthand the Joint Secretaries visited the conveyor sites accompanied by senior officials including the Visakhapatnam District Collector and the Commissioner of Police. They urged employees to stay vigilant, report any suspicious behaviour immediately and ensure proper upkeep of all equipment. Surveillance measures such as additional lighting and CC cameras will be strengthened across key locations to prevent further incidents.

RINL now faces a crucial phase where production efficiency and operational discipline will determine the direction of the plant’s future.