Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel is set to pip Tata Steel and become the country’s largest private sector steel producer with the commissioning of a 3 MTPA extended production line at its Vijaynagar facility tomorrow.

“We are commissioning the 3 MPTA additional production line at Vijaynagar plant on February 18, taking its total capacity to 6.8 MTPA,” JSW Steel vice-chairman and MD Sajjan Jindal said.

With the start of commercial production from the expanded facility, JSW Steel’s overall production capacity would reach 7.8 MT from the present 4.8 MT (including 1-MTPA from its Salem unit).

As of now, SAIL is India’s largest public sector steel maker with annual production close to 15 MT, while Tata Steel tops the list among private players with installed production capacity of 6.8 MT at Jamshedpur.

Hit by the global economic crisis, JSW Steel had put on hold the commissioning of the new blast furnace, which is claimed to the country’s largest furnace, for six months.