Indian and Chinese workers at ECL plant in Siyaljori on Monday. (Pankaj Singh)

Bokaro, Aug 17: Russians roaming the streets of Bokaro has long been a familiar sight here. Now, it’s the Chinese who are flocking in large numbers, prompting many to dub the steel city “Little China”.

In 1965, work started on the Bokaro Steel Plant with Russian collaboration. Now, thanks to the upcoming plant being put by Electrosteel Castings Limited (ECL) at Chandankyari block of Siyaljora, more than 800 Chinese engineers have been at work since early 2008.

Save the unsavoury incident of May when there a was clash between local workers and Chinese engineers over an absentee labourer, work has been going on smoothly for what will be a 3.2 MTP steel plant that’s being built using Chinese expertise.

The Rs 25,000 crore plant is to start production from 2011 after which there are plans to step up production to 5.2 MTP by 2013 — a steel melting shop, coke oven, sinter plant, rolling mills, blast furnaces and an administrative building have already come up at the site.

According to company sources, the main structure of the plant was being built in China. The pre-fabricated portions would be shipped to India by early 2010 when the factory was expected to take final shape.

ECL director R.P. Singh said, “The fabrication work would need 85,000 tonne steel and work is progressing fast.”

Last week, Delhi-based Chinese Consulate General Mao Si Wei and his wife were accompanied by senior officials of the Chinese embassy when they came to Bokaro on a two-day visit to see the progress of the project.

As of now, the Chinese presence was around 800 engineers and support staff. This number was expected to swell into thousands as the months progressed. As such, the visiting Chinese officials assured the ECL management that all efforts would be taken to ensure speedy visa clearances and other formalities for the visiting engineers.