Notwithstanding protests to its mega project in Orissa, Tata Steel today received the first ever consignment of equipment worth Rs 200 crore at the proposed plant site at Kalinga Nagar, company sources said.
The steel major which is setting up a 6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) steel mill at an investment of Rs 18,700 crore in the greenfield venture faced opposition from a section of locals even as it claimed to have rehabilitated about two-thirds of the affected families.
The equipment consignment was of SMS (Steel Melting Shop) for Tata Steel's 6 MTPA steel plant, which had been supplied by SMS Demag, Germany.
The consignment, shipped from Porto Marghera port of Germany, was received at Visakapatnam Port recently.
Till date, company sources said, a total number of 11 Consignments (Blast Furnace, Sinter Plant, Electricals and SMS) of equipment and machinery worth about Rs 200 crore for Orissa Steel Project have arrived in the country.
The steel major is hopeful of procuring equipment and machinery worth Rs 500 crore by end of this fiscal. The company had already placed orders for equipment and machinery worth Rs 6,373 crore.