Union officials cite staff shortages and safety issues behind the VSP explosion

Steel production in process at Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in Visakhapatnam. File. | Photo credit: The Hindu

VISAKHAPATNAM:

The Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) Visakhapatnam Steel Plant recognized trade union on Tuesday held the management and the ruling coalition responsible for the fatal blast at Steel Plant-1 (SMS-1) on June 8, 2026, which killed eight workers.

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Addressing the media, union vice-president Varasala Srinivasa Rao said the tragedy was a direct result of severe manpower shortages, increased workload and complete neglect of maintenance of critical machinery over the past two years. He pointed out that the number of permanent staff has fallen from 18,500 to just 8,500 in the last 25 months, while the number of contract staff has almost halved.

The union leader further alleged that management compromised operational safety by purchasing substandard raw materials, which damaged heavy machinery and forced several departments to halt production.

Published – 09 Jun 2026 20:55 IST