Based on the speed of construction, lightweight and environment-friendliness, a steel house is ideal for the hilly terrain and the topography of such regions. The Constructions Solutions Groups has made successful forays in Sikkim. The first 500 sq. ft. steel house, at over 6000 feet above sea level, was constructed at Namli Garden near Gangtok and will be used as a “Gardener Training Centre” by the Sikkim Horticulture Department. This is the first in a series of four steel houses ordered by the Sikkim Government, spread across all four districts of the state.

Mrs Sangeeta Prasad inaugurates the Steel House at Remuna

Steel grain storage silo and bins, bus shelters, colourful carports, multi storied car parks, steel intensive steel houses and school buildings - steel is now showing its entire range of uses, segment by segment much like an oriental fan, to present a complete picture of its potential.

With environmentalists and governments concerned about the impact of plastics and excessive use of wood to create such structures, steel is emerging as a rock solid alternative not only to these materials, but also to other metals, in applications such as earthquake resistant housing.

Mr Sohrai Oraon and Mr Avinash Prasad at the Steel House

Tata Steel has already formed the Construction Solutions Group to examine the possibility of introducing steel intensive solutions in the construction sector, in addition to its forays through rural marketing, the electrical segment and other applications.

Recently, demonstration units of steel houses for the “economy” segment were constructed by the Construction Solutions Group at Remuna village near Balasore and at Mahadevnasa village near Noamundi.

The Steel Club House at Mahadevnasa

These 400-square feet houses have been designed to withstand the fury of natural calamities such as cyclones and earthquakes, in addition to being leakproof and fireproof.

The house at Remuna will be used by M/s Human Resources Development Centre, a local NGO as its office. It was inaugurated by Mrs Sangeeta Prasad, Chief, Constructions Solutions Group, Tata Steel and Mr V K Dev, Collector & DM, Balasore. They handed over the keys to the house to the NGO at a ceremony held on January 4, 2004.

The Steel Club House at Mahadevnasa was dedicated to the village by Mr Sohrai Oraon, Hon’ble MLA, Champua and Mr Avinash Prasad, General Manager, OMQ, Tata Steel.

The Steel Office at Remuna

Each of these houses are durable, aesthetic and cost effective. The construction systems used for the houses comprise cold-formed galvanised steel load bearing self-supporting wall panels, studs, roof trusses and roof sheeting panels. The components are precision engineered, can be economically shifted and made available in a kit, ready for quick and easy installation.