Galvanised Rails On Track To Be INR 1,400-CR Opportunity

If all goes well, Indian Railways (IR) could be having an INR 1,400-crore, 2 lakh tonnes per annum order for galvanised rails to offer one-and-half years down the line. And two leading producers of rail tracks in India, the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL), could be in the fray to bag the orders, it is learnt.

- Nirmalya Deb & Madhumita Mookerji

Benefits Of Galvanisation

But, why the need for galvanized rails in the first place? Zinc has anti-corrosive properties that increase the longevity of the tracks. The life of a track is generally 12 years. But, under the most corrosive of circumstances, the tracks last for at best two-and-a-half to four years, which is a big recurrent expense for the nation.

There are two aspects to a rail track – the rail top and the rail flange or bottom. The top portion generally has a long life, ranging from 12-14 years. On the other hand, if the bottom flange remains submerged for long, especially in corrosive water, or water with high alkaline content, the damage happens faster and the rails will have to be replaced, in fact, the entire portion has to be changed. Apart from alkaline water, there are salt marsh areas in India along the coastline, where galvanized rails would be an ideal option.

These are a special product where the steel/rail material is the same, the properties are the same but the only difference is that the galvanized version needs a protective film of zinc which will prevent the corrosion with its anti-corrosive properties. Thus, laying of zinc-coated rail tracks, especially in areas that are near the coast and buffeted by salt-laden sea breeze or in regions which are subjected to heavy rains, would make more sense.

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