Vedanta Aluminium, the country’s largest aluminium producer, has announced plans to double the size of its all-women locomotive team at its Jharsuguda facility in Odisha. The team, which currently has seven members, will grow to thirteen by the end of the year. The company also intends to introduce a second all-women team to support growing logistics operations at the 3,000-acre site.
The team manages internal rail logistics at the aluminium smelter, including the movement of key raw materials. Operating within one of the largest integrated aluminium plants globally, they support a facility that includes a 1.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) smelter and captive power generation capacity of 3,615 megawatts. Originally launched in mid-2025, the first all-women crew handles locomotive driving and maintenance, playing a key role in material handling and plant operations.
Rajiv Kumar, CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, commented “This expansion reflects our ongoing effort to integrate skilled professionals across all areas of operations. These women have shown that ability and discipline determine performance—not job titles or demographics. Our focus remains on building a workforce driven by competence and accountability.”
Coinciding with this announcement, Vedanta Aluminium has released a short film titled “On the Right Track”, which documents the experiences of the locomotive crew at Jharsuguda. The film highlights their training, shift coordination, and day-to-day responsibilities across the in-plant rail system.
One of the crew members shared, “When I stepped into the cabin for the first time, I understood I wasn’t just learning a job—I was entering a new space for women in this industry.” Another team member, Chitra Dhairya, said, “There was uncertainty at the beginning, but training and support helped us take control of the role with confidence.”
The film ends with the message “Progress happens when belief is backed by action.” It reflects Vedanta Aluminium’s broader efforts to ensure roles across the organisation are accessible and based on skill and readiness, rather than assumptions about suitability.
Vedanta Aluminium has implemented several initiatives to bring more women into core operational roles. This includes projects like Shree Shakti, which introduced women into night shifts, and the launch of India’s first smelter potline operated entirely by women. The company also follows a gender-neutral recruitment approach, targeting 50% women hires at the entry level and aiming for 30% overall representation by 2030.
A business unit of Vedanta Limited, Vedanta Aluminium produced 2.42 million tonnes of aluminium in FY2024–25, accounting for over half of the country’s total output. The company supplies high-quality aluminium products to sectors such as construction, automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy.
Vedanta Aluminium ranked second in the 2024 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment for the aluminium industry worldwide. With smelters, a refinery, and power plants located in India, the company is actively advancing the use of aluminium in next-generation applications, positioning it as a key material for future technologies and sustainable development.
