Adding another feather to its cap in its endeavor to contribute and actively participate in 'Make in India,' Steel Authority of India Ltd.'s (SAIL) Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) dispatched the first consignment of metro railway wheels for the Kolkata Metro today. Previously, the wheels for the Kolkata Metro Rail were being imported. This is an important step towards import substitution, and in the true spirit of 'Make in India,' SAIL envisages developing new products to suit the country’s needs.
The development of the Kolkata Metro wheel was successfully carried out entirely with in-house resources. The design of the Kolkata Metro wheel is critical due to its complex web profile, which is different from existing products supplied by DSP. The dimensions of these wheels are also different from the existing wheels, necessitating new designs for forging dies, rolls, and subsequent manufacturing, heat treatment, and machining. This was followed by inspection in the presence of RDSO for the final dispatch. SAIL DSP is now poised to meet the entire demand of the Kolkata Metro.
The first consignment was flagged off by CEO of DSP, Mr. A. K. Rath, who said, "DSP is the only forged wheel producer in the country. We proudly say that the nation moves on DSP wheels. Now, Kolkata Metro Railway will also run on DSP wheels." In the first consignment, 46 wheels were dispatched, and in the initial lot, 73 wheels were prepared for dispatch.