VISAKHAPATNAM

High-level representatives from the Steel Executive Federation of India (SEFI) visited the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL) on Wednesday to assess operational bottlenecks and review safety parameters following the June 8 industrial mishap.

Led by chairman M.K. Banchhor, vice-chairman Ajay Pandey, and general secretary Sanjay Arya, the apex body of steel executives strongly pitch for the plant’s merger with the SAIL as a viable solution to the ongoing financial crisis.

The delegation carried out field inspections at critical production areas, including the Coke Oven Department and the Steel Melt Shop (SMS-1) continuous casting unit, which recently witnessed an accident. The team held technical discussions with senior plant officials and experts from the Bhilai Steel Plant to address the operational challenges currently squeezing the plant’s output.

During a comprehensive review meeting, RINL chairman-cum-managing director M.N.V.S. Prabhakar acknowledged the resilience of the workforce. Drawing parallels to his previous stint at NMDC’s Nagarnar Steel Plant, where a similar turnaround was achieved through stakeholder collaboration, Mr. Prabhakar expressed confidence that Vizag Steel would soon emerge from the red.

Finances and long-pending employee grievances took centre stage during the discussions. The SEFI team urged Director (Finance) Vinay Kumar to present a transparent fiscal roadmap to the Ministry of Steel to expedite the merger process.

Meeting with the SEA later in the evening, the federation assured executives that pending issues—including standard wage revisions, delayed promotions, and pension benefits – would be aggressively pursued with Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik.

“Fluctuations are inherent to the steel cycle, and both SAIL and RINL have successfully navigated such storms in the past,” Mr. Banchhor noted, while reiterating SEFI’s Council resolution to pressure the Central Government through Members of Parliament in the upcoming parliamentary session.

The delegation also issued a stern reminder to the local management, emphasising that there must be zero compromise on workplace safety standards and operational transparency.