Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the first 9,000 horsepower locomotive manufactured at the rolling stock manufacturing facility located in Dahod.
On 20 April 2022, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for the loco unit in Dahod. The contract for the manufacturing and maintenance of these locomotives was awarded to the German engineering firm Siemens, which will engage Railway personnel at four depots: Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur, and Pune, for 35 years.
About the first 9,000 Horsepower locomotive
The 9,000 horsepower locomotives are planned to be deployed for use on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, with the aim of increasing the average speed of freight trains from the existing 20-25 km/h to approximately 50-60 km/h.
The locomotives feature an air-conditioned cabin for the operator as well as a restroom facility. They are capable of transporting 4,500 tonnes of cargo in a double-stack configuration at a maximum speed of 75 km/h.
Additionally, these locomotives will be equipped with regenerative braking systems and are being designed to minimize energy consumption.
Official Statement from Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned, “Now the money is ours, the work is ours, and the result is ours. Today, India has become a big exporter in the world for railway manufacturing. Coaches of metro trains in Australia are made in Gujarat. In London, France, Mexico, Spain, Germany and Italy, too, Made in India railway products are in use. Our passenger coaches are in Mozambique, Sri Lanka and other countries,”.
Future Projection
The Dahod facility will produce a total of 1,200 electric freight locomotives over the next eleven years, at a total estimated cost of Rs 21,405 crore. Currently, the Indian Railways operates around 12,000 electric locomotives.
