Tata plant in Gopalpur SEZ (Berhampur) to open in July

The high carbon ferrochrome plant of Tata Steel, which would be the anchorage industry of the proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of the company in Ganjam district of Odisha, is expected to be commissioned in July this year.

This SEZ named ‘Gopalpur Industrial Park’ is coming up on the land that had been acquired by the company for its now shelved mega steel plant project near Gopalpur port. This ferrochrome plant linked to the SEZ project will be of 55,000 Tons per Annum (TPA) capacity. Tata Steel has invested Rs. 800 crore on this ferrochrome plant. According to Tata Steel officials in the second phase the company envisions to expand capacity of this ferrochrome unit to 2,45,000 TPA. It will make it largest single location ferrochrome production complex in Asia.

Construction and all other works of the ferrochrome plant of Tata Steel in Ganjam district is expected to be completed by May. As per the information from Arun Misra, vice president, Gopalpur Project & MD, Tata Steel SEZ, commissioning of this ferrochrome plant will take some more time till July because of power connectivity process. Some changes had to be brought in the route map of the power transmission line to this plant as it was it was crossing a hospital coming up in the area. It has delayed the power connectivity process. The Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) has already approved the new route of transmission line for this project and work is on.

Jurong, a Singapore based consultant firm is developing the master plan for this multi-product SEZ of Tata Steel. This SEZ is expected to attract investment worth 10,000 to 15,000 crore rupees. Commissioning of the high carbon ferrochrome plant as the anchorage industry would be first major step towards materialisation of the ‘Gopalpur Industrial Park’ SEZ project. The target is to start this SEZ in 2016.

According to Tata Steel sources, the company has already started the process to attract and invite companies to its proposed SEZ. The company has already organised a ‘road show’ for the purpose in Singapore. It is in touch with prospective investors in India as well as abroad, who may be interested to come up with their units in the Gopalpur SEZ of the company.

BERHAMPUR, March 18, 2015