Bhubaneswar, Feb 22 (IANS) The first consignment of equipment for Tata Steel's Kalinganagar steel project in Orissa has arrived from Germany, a senior company official said Monday.

'The equipment is of SMS (steel melting shop) of the project and supplied by SMS Demag, Germany. It has arrived at the project site in Duburi (in Jajpur district of Orissa),' Mohit Das, head of corporate affairs, Orissa project, told IANS.

'The consignment was shipped from Porto Marghera port of Germany and was received at Visakapatnam port,' he said.

'Till date, 11 consignments, which include blast furnace, sinter plant, electrical and SMS of equipment and machinery - worth about Rs.200 crore - have arrived,' he said.

'In the current financial year, it is estimated that a total value of Rs.500 crore worth of equipment and machinery for the Orissa project will arrive,' Das said.

'Orders worth Rs.6,373 crore for the equipment and civil structures have already been placed,' he said.

Tata Steel has proposed to build a 6 million tonne steel plant at the Kalinganagar Industrial Complex at Duburi in Jajpur district of Orissa.

The Rs.21,000-crore project has been facing delays due to stiff resistance from locals over the issue of displacement and rehabilitation.

The project ran into rough weather after 14 people were killed in police firing in 2006.