Siemens India announced that it had signed a Rs 26,000-crore contract to manufacture 1,200 electric freight locomotives for railways. According to the statement, the contract with the Ministry of Railways to manufacture 9000 HP locomotives is Siemens Limited’s single largest order in India. “The 9000 HP electric locomotive is a significant milestone in Indian Railways’ rail electrification mission, and we are proud to build these in India using the latest technology provided by Siemens Mobility,” said the company.
The deliveries are scheduled over an 11-year period, and the contract includes 35 years of full-service maintenance. “The locomotives will be assembled at the Indian Railways factory in Dahod, Gujarat. The contract is worth approximately Rs 26,000 crore (excluding taxes and price variation) “, the statement stated. Maintenance will take place at Indian Railways depots in Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur, and Pune. The assembly and maintenance will be performed in collaboration with Indian Railways personnel.
The cutting-edge locomotives will be used for freight transport and are designed to haul loads of 4,500 tonnes at a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour. “I’m proud that this major order will assist India in meeting its ambitious goal of building the world’s largest green rail network, as our locomotives will save more than 800 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over their lifecycle,” the company said.