SAIL'S BSP Undergoes Top Management Change Post Gas Pipeline Blast on Tuesday

According to latest updates, after the severe blast in gas pipeline that took place on Tuesday morning in SAIL's BSP (Bhilai Steel Plant) claiming life of 11 people and injuring several others, the company had announced its decision to remove its CEO M Ravi with immediate effect while general manager (safety department) T Pandya Raja and deputy general manager (energy department) Naveen Kumar has been suspended.

Mr. Arun Kumar Rath who is currently working as CEO of SAIL's Durgapur Steel Plant has been now appointed as the new CEO of BSP.

Prior to his appointment as CEO of DSP, Rath was Executive Director (Projects) of IISCO Steel Plant, Burnpur, SAIL. Rath, an alumnus of National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, in Electrical Engineering, started his career in Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in 1982.

During his long career in RSP, he proved his mettle in electrical maintenance and repair of large electrical machines. He also developed a network-based online system for effective maintenance of electrical equipment at RSP. Rath had joined IISCO Steel Plant (ISP) in 2010 at a critical juncture when it was undergoing a 2.5 MnT expansion project. He subsequently became Executive Director (Projects) at ISP. During his stint in ISP, he was instrumental in starting up of the modernized units like Basic Oxygen Furnace, Continuous Casting Plant, Lime and Dolomite Calcination Plant, Mills complex and others.

Severe blast took place in BSP during maintenance of gas pipeline

In the history of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), 11 people died in the company's biggest tragedy so far. The incident happened when the damaged gas pipeline was being maintained. The main cause of the incident that has been known yet is that the maintenance work of the pipeline was started even before zero pressure was achieved.

In June 2014, a blast took place in BSP's blast furnace killing 6 people post which SAIL spent INR 18,832 crore on expansion and modernisation of its Bhilai plant in Chhattisgarh till Jun'18. Under this modernisation program, major facilities like coke oven battery, sinter machine, new blast furnace, steel melting shop etc have been installed.

BSP is a major producer of rails, large variety of wide and heavy steel plates and structural steel. With an annual production capacity of 3.153 MT of saleable steel, the plant also specialises in other products such as wire rods, merchant products, earthquake-resistant grade of TMT and heavy structural including channels and beams.