Steel Your Car With Zinc Coat

Centre drives plan to make galvanised steel mandatory in Indian automobile production.

- Arindam Mukherjee

YOU could soon be saved from a major problem that blights your automobile— corrosion and rust. This is more evident if you live in a region that gets heavy rainfall such as the Northeast or if you are from the coastal areas buffeted by salty sea winds. The salt-laden moisture blown from the sea is a catalyst that accelerates the corrosion process, thereby reducing your car’s life and depreciating its value. Is there a solution to stop the decay or shield the cars from the elements? The answer is galvanised steel, the one with an anti-rust, protective zinc coating. Problem is all domestic production cars are made currently with non-galvanised steel. That’s what the government is intending to change; and throw a lifeline to millions of automobile owners in the country.

The Union road transport ministry is consider­ ing a proposal to make it mandatory for the auto­ mobile industry to use only galvanised steel. The government has asked leading automobile safety and engineering institutions such as the Inter­ national Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar, and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in Pune to send inputs and recommendations for the plan. The proposal will then go to a standing committee of Parliament before a final call is taken.