JSPL bags order from Rail Vikas Nigam and France

Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL), the only private-sector company to manufacture head-hardened rails, has bagged 2,308-tonne supply order from Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for the development of Kolkata Metro Corporation.

In the light of railway’s requirements, JSPL will now manufacture R260 Grade rails. These rails have carriage capacities of 75 tonne per wagon, as compared to 64 tonne per wagon for ordinary rails. Head-hardened rails are typically used in metro rail projects and high-speed freight corridors, which require maximum durability against wear and material fatigue caused by escalating train frequencies, high acceleration and deceleration, abrupt braking and higher axle loads. Head-hardening technology entails a special heat treatment process that requires precise temperature control to achieve nearly 50 per cent higher hardness as compared to a normal rail.

It has also bagged a contract to supply 12,000 tonnes of special grade Rail Blooms to France Rail Hayange. The 12,000-tonnes special grade Rail Blooms export order to France is valued at around Rs 50 crore. Britain and France have also evinced interest in JSPL’s products and they are expected to place orders soon.

On Wednesday, the stock of JSPL surged 3.2 per cent to Rs 94.65 in the early morning session from its previous close of Rs 91.70 on BSE.