Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly’s ambitious ₹2,500 crore steel plant project in West Bengal is progressing despite delays, with the facility expected to begin operations after completing necessary approvals and construction work.
The greenfield steel project, located at Garbeta in Paschim Medinipur district, was initially expected to become operational within 18 to 20 months from February 2025. However, nearly 17 months later, production has not started and the company has not announced a confirmed commissioning date.
The project is being developed in partnership with Captain Steel, a manufacturer of TMT bars, and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 0.8 million tonnes, or 8 lakh tonnes.
Ganguly’s Steel Expansion Plans
The former Indian cricket captain had announced the steel plant project in September 2023 during West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to Spain.
The project was initially planned at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur but was later shifted to Garbeta, located around 26 kilometres away.
The facility requires around 350 acres of land and several approvals, including environmental clearances, pollution control permissions and government approvals before production begins.
Partnership With Captain Steel
Ganguly has partnered with Captain Steel for the ₹2,500 crore project. The company already operates two steel plants with a combined annual production capacity of 5 lakh tonnes.
Once the Garbeta plant becomes operational, Captain Steel’s total production capacity is expected to increase to around 1.3 million tonnes annually.
Officials had earlier indicated that Ganguly’s investment stake in the project would be substantial, although the exact ownership details have not been disclosed.
Ganguly’s Long Association With Steel Business
The Garbeta steel plant is not Sourav Ganguly’s first investment in the sector.
The former Indian cricket captain has said that he entered the steel business in 2007 with a business partner. Their earlier ventures included steel plants in Asansol and Patna, with operations managed primarily by his partner while Ganguly continued his cricket career.
The Garbeta facility is planned to become his third and largest steel manufacturing project.
Beyond Steel Investments
Apart from the steel sector, Ganguly has also invested in several startups.
In 2023, he acquired a minority stake in inter-city food delivery startup JustMyRoots. His other reported investments include edtech platform Classplus and digital entertainment company Flickstree.
With the Garbeta steel plant, Ganguly is expanding his business portfolio beyond sports and strengthening his presence in India’s manufacturing sector.
