RINL Crisis Deepens as Coke Ovens Struggle

Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, is facing fresh concerns over its operational and financial performance, with employees alleging serious problems across coke oven operations, raw-material management and steel production.
According to the concerns raised by employees, declining coke oven performance has affected the availability of coke oven gas-an important fuel used across integrated steelmaking operations. The resulting constraints are reportedly affecting the production of higher-value finished steel and increasing dependence on semi-finished product sales, which could put further pressure on the company’s revenue and margins.
Another major concern centres on imported coking coal. Employees claim that nearly one million tonnes of imported coal has remained unused while RINL has simultaneously depended on expensive purchased metallurgical coke to sustain operations. Questions have consequently emerged over procurement planning and whether raw-material purchases were adequately aligned with the operating condition of the coke ovens.
Adding to those concerns, RINL has reportedly moved to sell around 1.5 lakh tonnes of imported coking coal through an MSTC e-auction. Employees have cited the proposed disposal while questioning why substantial quantities of premium coal were procured if operational limitations prevented their effective utilisation.
The developments come at a difficult time for RINL, which has already been grappling with financial stress, manpower constraints and the challenge of restoring stable production. Higher raw-material costs combined with lower production of value-added steel could further complicate its turnaround.
However, allegations regarding management decisions and the scale of losses require independent or official confirmation. The core challenge for RINL remains restoring coke oven reliability, improving raw-material utilisation and increasing finished-steel production while protecting cash flows.
For Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, the coming period could therefore prove critical-not merely for increasing production, but for demonstrating that one of India’s prominent public-sector steel assets can return to sustainable operations.