The annual average electric locomotive production in India has jumped up by over three times between 2009-10 and 2021-22 as it went from 246 to 868, Railway Ministry data shows.
In one of its replies to the Standing Committee on Railways, the Railway Board informed that during 2021-22, till February, 868 electric locos were produced, while during the 2009-10 and 2013-14 period, this number was 1,230 and between 2014-15 and 2020-21, it was 3,170.
The Standing Committee on Railways, in its report presented in Parliament last week, had raised concerns over the missed targets in electric locomotive production during this financial year. The Committee had recommended that existing as well as future demands for electric locos be assessed/visualised so that the requirements of locos are met adequately.
In its reply, the Railway Board said that the production of electric locomotives has been consistently increasing over the last few years to cater to the requirement of additional electric locos commensurate with the increased pace of electrification.
“In order to meet the requirement of electric locomotives commensurate with enhanced pace of electrification, Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi and Patiala Loco Works (PLW), Patiala were entrusted with the responsibility to manufacture electric locomotives. BLW and PLW have been assigned production targets of 450 and 200 Electric Locomotives respectively for 2022-23 and 2023-24… During 2021-22 (up to February), PLW and BLW have manufactured 104 and 331 electric locos respectively,” the reply reads.
The committee, headed by Radha Mohan Singh as chairperson, said it is aware that the Railways is heading towards 100 per cent electrification on broad gauge lines and as such the requirement of diesel locomotives will be reduced substantially whereas the requirement of electric locomotives would be increased to a great extent.
“Additionally, the demand for electric locomotives will increase in view of the commissioning of DFCs and 400 new Vande Bharat Express trains, announced in the Budget Speech for the year 2022-23. The Committee learnt that Railways were in process of converting the Diesel Locos into Electric or in dual mode for which they have succeeded to some extent. Undoubtedly, it is a step in the right direction but keeping in view the huge additional requirement of locos,” the committee said.
It would “apprehend” that with the present pace, unless the capacity of the manufacturing units is enhanced, the quantum need for locos will not be fulfilled.
“The Committee therefore, recommend that existing as well as future demands for electric locos be assessed/visualized so that the requirements of locos are met adequately,” it added. “The Committee are of the firm belief that manufacturing of electric locos should be accorded highest priority since the demand of these locos would increase manifold after achieving the target of 100% electrification, Commissioning of DFCs and introduction of newly announced Vande Bharat Trains.”
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