Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) will lease and maintain diesel locomotives for Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening logistics and operational efficiency across SAIL’s plants and mines.
The MoU was signed by P K Baisakhiya, Executive Director (Operations), SAIL, and Sandeep Jain, Executive Director (Technical Services), RITES, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
SAIL, a Maharatna CPSE, operates a dedicated mini rail network within its facilities to ensure seamless transportation of inbound raw materials, in-process transfers, and outbound finished products.
The maintenance of its diesel locomotive fleet, supplemented by wet leased locomotives, is considered critical for sustaining operations and supporting future capacity expansion.
Under the pact, RITES, a Navratna CPSE, will bring its expertise in diesel locomotive operations and maintenance at a time when Indian Railways is accelerating its transition toward electric locomotives.
With access to Indian Railways’ facilities, spare parts, and a skilled manpower pool, RITES is positioned to support SAIL’s operational requirements and ensure reliability across its internal rail network.
The collaboration is expected to enable both organisations to focus on their core competencies, optimise costs, enhance operational efficiencies, and contribute to reducing carbon footprint.
