New Delhi : The SAIL-led consortium plans to scale down the size of its proposed steel plant in Afghanistan in the first phase to 1-2 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from 3 mtpa to reduce vulnerability of the project.
After winning the bid to mine three iron ore mines at Hajigak in November, 2011, Afghan Iron and Steel Consortium (AIFSCO) had said it would invest $10.8 billion to set up a 6.1 mtpa steel plant in two equal phases. The main reason is the project location, a land-locked and incommunicado terrain, head of a consortium member said, adding this would make transportation costlier.
