Siemens lowest bidder for manufacturing 1,200 electric locomotives

Engineering firm Siemens has emerged as the lowest bidder for a project for manufacturing 1,200 electric locomotive of 9,000 HP (horsepower) worth over ₹20,000 crore at Dahod in Gujarat. Indian Railways had floated the tender for manufacturing and maintenance of 9,000 HP electric locomotives at Dahod in April this year.”Siemens Limited has emerged as the lowest bidder (L1) for the 9,000 HP electric locomotives project in Dahod, Gujarat, India,” a BSE filing said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April laid the foundation stone for the manufacturing project of 9,000 HP electric locomotives at the Railway production unit in Dahod.Dahod workshop, established in 1926 for periodic overhaul of steam locomotives, is being upgraded to electric locomotive manufacturing unit with infrastructural improvements. It is expected to provide direct and indirect employment to over 10,000 people.The 1,200 locomotives will be manufactured at Dahod facility in 11 years from 2023-24 to 2033-34. The successful bidder will supply five locomotives in the first year and 35 in the second year. As many as 80 locomotives will be supplied per annum in the third and fourth years.Production will be increased to 100 locomotives per annum in the fifth and the sixth year. Thereafter, 160 locomotives will be manufactured per annum for five years till 2033-34.9,000 HP, 6 axle Co-Co Locomotive to be utilized all over Indian Railways Route for hauling 4,500 tonnes load with average speed of 75 kmph by single loco.The nominated Government Depots for maintenance with holding capacity of 300 each will be at Kharagpur (West Bengal), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and Pune (Maharashtra).Indian Railway expects delivery of the first locomotive from Dahod facility in early 2024. The locomotive will be manufactured using green energy and will have a green manufacturing tag. Dahod is a railway station on Delhi-Mumbai route.