NEW DELHI: In a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative, approximately 150 railway locomotives manufactured in India are being exported to Guinea.
The Railway Locomotive Factory at Marhowrah in Bihar will supply 150 Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives for SimFer’s Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, Africa, in a deal worth over Rs 3,000 crore.
According to an official statement from the Ministry of Railways on Monday, 37 locomotives will be exported in the current financial year, 82 in the next financial year, and 31 locomotives in the third financial year.
“All these locomotives will have AC cabs. Each loco will have a single cab, and two locomotives together will carry the load of 100 wagons with maximum permissible speed,” said ED (I&P) Dileep Kumar, adding that the Railways had laid three types of tracks, broad gauge, standard gauge, and Cape gauge, within the Marhowrah Locomotive premises to facilitate the rollout of such locomotives.
He stated that the locomotives, being manufactured at the Marhowrah plant in Bihar under Indian Railways, are enhancing India’s industrial footprint. The project was secured through global competitive bidding, showcasing India’s manufacturing excellence on the world stage.
“These locomotives are equipped with 4,500 HP, AC propulsion, regenerative braking, microprocessor-based controls, and modular architecture,” said Kumar.
These locomotives are built to best-in-class emission standards and include fire detection systems and ergonomic crew cabins, furnished with modern amenities such as a refrigerator, microwave, and a waterless toilet system.
“The locomotives are fitted with DPWCS (Distributed Power Wireless Control System) for synchronised operations and superior freight handling. This position has made Marhowrah factory a global hub for locomotive exports, strengthening local employment and technological capability,” said Kumar.
“This is a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat powering global infrastructure through innovation and quality manufacturing in the Marhowrah factory of Bihar. And, here 285 people are directly employed and 1,215 people are getting indirect employment,” he said.
In addition to these, over 2,100 individuals are employed across the country through the joint venture for services and other associated work.