Bhilai Steel Plant’s Universal Rail Mill has set a new benchmark in rail production, registering its highest-ever single-day output on May 22, 2026. The mill produced 3,867 tonnes of rails comprising 462 blooms in the R260-60E1 rail profile, surpassing the previous record of 3,852 tonnes and 455 blooms set on March 12, 2025. The achievement marks a significant milestone for one of India’s most critical steel manufacturing facilities.
The Universal Rail Mill specialises in manufacturing 260-metre-long rail panels, which are playing a vital role in strengthening railway infrastructure and supporting the rapid expansion of India’s national rail network. Indian Railways remains the mill’s primary customer, and the plant has consistently focused on delivering high product quality and timely output to meet the railway sector’s growing demands.
Director In-Charge of SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant, Shri Chitta Ranjan Mohapatra, and Executive Director of Works, Shri Rakesh Kumar, congratulated the Universal Rail Mill team on the record-breaking achievement. Both leaders lauded the commitment and coordinated efforts of the mill’s workforce, urging employees to carry forward the same spirit and dedication as they work toward production targets set for the current financial year.
Chief General Manager and Head of Department for the Blooming, Rail Mill and Universal Rail Mill divisions, Shri Yogesh Shastri, attributed the record to continuous monitoring, effective coordination and sustained hard work across the entire team. He also acknowledged the crucial support extended by multiple associated departments, including Steel Melting Shop-2 and Shop-3, the Traffic Department, Production Planning and Control, Rail Cooling Line, Instrumentation, Automation and Drives, Central Electrical, Central Mechanical teams and third-party inspection agency RITES. The record, he noted, was truly a collective achievement.
Shastri expressed confidence that the Universal Rail Mill would continue setting new benchmarks in the years ahead, reinforcing Bhilai Steel Plant’s position as a cornerstone of India’s steel and railway infrastructure ecosystem.
The milestone arrives at a time when India is aggressively expanding its rail network, with large-scale projects demanding consistent, high-quality rail supply. BSP’s Universal Rail Mill, through achievements like this, is demonstrating that domestic steel manufacturing capacity can rise to meet the nation’s infrastructure ambitions with precision and pace.
