The electric locomotive manufacturing unit at Dahod in Gujarat will start producing a sufficient number of high-speed freight train engines in another three years so that India can export them, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.
Vaishnaw, who was on a day-long visit to Gujarat, went to Dahod to review this yet-to-be fully functional manufacturing unit as well as the production status of the first 9000 horsepower (HP) engine from here.
He inspected the engine and said it will be ready to serve the Indian Railways in another few months.
The foundation stone of the unit at Dahod was laid in April 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an estimated cost of ₹20,000 crore.
According to the railways, increasing the speed of freight trains is a vital concern for which high horsepower and high-speed locomotives are required to be inducted.
“Hence, the Ministry of Railways had decided to manufacture 9000 HP high-speed freight locomotives, at Rolling Stock Workshop, Dahod, in Gujarat,” a press note from the Western Railway said.
It added, “Dahod Workshop of Western Railway in Gujarat upgraded to manufacture high horsepower (9000 HP) electric locomotives by selecting technological partner SIEMENS under ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for World’ initiatives of the Government of India through a transparent bidding process.”
Vaishnaw said these locomotives will play a vital role in revolutionising the freight movement in the country.
He added that these high horsepower locomotives will help decongest the saturated tracks by improving the average speed and loading capacity of freight trains. These engines, Railway officials said, will be capable to haul a load of 4500 tonne cargo load at maximum speed of 120 kmph and will be a game changer for movement of cargo trains.
The locomotives being manufactured at Dahod will be compatible with Digital Tracking System, Kavach, and Green Features with three-phase propulsion System, the press note said.