Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat struck a note of cautious optimism Friday after high-stakes meetings aimed at reviving the city’s struggling steel plant and accelerating critical railway projects. The mood felt tangible—a blend of hope and urgency—as the politician pressed for concrete action on long-standing issues.

  • ₹14,000 crore allocated by Centre and State for VSP revival
  • MP met RINL CMD M.N.V.S. Prabhakar and SCoR GM Sandeep Mathur
  • Pensioner payments recently resumed; salary arrears pending profitability

A Steel Plant on the Mend

Sribharat, alongside Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, sat down with RINL Chairman and Managing Director M.N.V.S. Prabhakar to review production, market conditions, and the plant’s rocky path to profitability. He expressed confidence that the plant would return to profitability within the coming year, citing improved teamwork among staff following a recent accident that had disrupted operations.

He made it clear: the massive ₹14,000 crore revival push would only truly bear fruit once the plant starts posting profits. That profitability, he stressed, is what will unlock phased payments for salary arrears, pension dues, and Voluntary Retirement Schemes—a relief many employees are desperately waiting for.

Railway Reforms and Employee Relief

In a separate meeting with South Coast Railway General Manager Sandeep Mathur, the MP shifted focus to human concerns and infrastructure gaps. He raised the transfer requests of railway employees stranded in the Rayagada Division after the bifurcation of the Waltair Division, urging action on humanitarian grounds.

But he didn’t stop there. Sribharat pushed for expedited construction of third and fourth railway lines between Gopalapatnam and Visakhapatnam, a platform expansion from 8 to 14 at Visakhapatnam Station, and modernized signaling. He also requested a halt at Duvvada for Vande Bharat trains 20833 and 20708, and new Vande Bharat services to Tirupati, Chennai, Secunderabad, and Bengaluru.

“The ₹14,000-crore revival push will bear fruit once the plant posts profits.”

It’s a statement that holds both promise and pressure—everyone is watching, waiting for the turnaround to begin.