OREANDA-NEWS. Mr CS Verma, Chairman, SAIL witnessed the commencement of the newly rebuilt Coke Ovens Battery No. 2 at Durgapur Steel Plant - a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Maharatna PSU, on 02.12.2013. The rebuilding of the battery is a part of the modernization and expansion of SAIL DSP under its ongoing capacity enhancement from the present level of 1.60 miilion tonnes of saleable steel to 2.12 million tonne at a total cost of Rs 2875 crores. Post expansion, DSP is expected to improve the finished component in its products basket from the present level of 36% to 64%. Also present on the occasion were Mr SS Mohanty, Director (Technical), Mr TS Suresh, Director (Projects & Business Planning), Mr PK Singh, CEO, DSP and senior officials and employees of the steel plant.

Rebuilt at a total cost of Rs. 213 crore, the battery no. 2 has several advanced technological features leading to both qualitative and quantitative improvements in coke making from this battery. The rebuilt Coke Ovens Battery No. 2 has 78 ovens with each oven of volume 23.8 cubic meter (length 13.59 meter and height 4.45 meter). As a special feature, double gas collecting mains has been introduced in the battery and it will ensure improved recovery of valuable coke oven gas from the battery. Moreover, several advanced pollution control measures, which include leak proof doors, stationary high pressure water jet cleaner among others have been incorporated in this battery.

During his visit to Durgapur, besides Coke Ovens Battery, Mr. Verma visited Wheel & Axle Plant, project sites of Bloom-cum-Round Caster and Medium Structural Mill and also Alloy Steels Plant. It is worth mentioning that Durgapur Steel Plant is setting up a one million tonne Medium Structural Mill and a 0.75 million tonne Bloom-Cum-Round Caster. The work for both the projects is going on in full swing. He had detailed meeting with the senior officials of DSP and ASP and interacted with a cross section of employees. He emphasized on the importance of devising systems and streamlining processes to further strengthen the synergy between DSP and ASP. In his address to the cross section of executives, he urged the collective to give their best in the ensuing rapid growth phase of SAIL.