After Bihar plant loco export to the Republic of Guinea, BLW dispatches locos to Mozambique
Amid the Indian Railways' push for export of rail equipment, the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) has exported two locomotives to Mozambique. Officials said that the export was done as per the major contract awarded by Mozambique Railways (CFM) for manufacturing and supply of 10 diesel locomotives.
BLW, a flagship production unit of Indian Railways, will dispatch the remaining eight locomotives by December 2025, said the officials. 'The global contract for 10 locomotives was awarded to RITES, a public sector undertaking (PSU) of Ministry of Railways, who further got the locomotives manufactured at BLW. These are advanced diesel locomotives of 3300 horse power. It is capable of running at a maximum speed of 100 kmph on Cape Gauge (1067 mm). BLW has exported locomotives to Mozambique earlier as well,' said a senior official of the Ministry of Railways.
These 3300 HP diesel locomotives feature many special facilities for the loco pilot or the driver such as refrigerator, hot plate, mobile holder, aesthetic cab design, toilet etc., in accordance with international standards.
The data available with the BLW shows that it has supplied a total of 10 Cape Gauge diesel locomotives (3000 HP, AC-AC) to Mozambique's state-owned rail company CFM so far, with the oldest locomotive being sent in 2008-09. During 2021-22 and 2022-23, it supplied a total of five locomotives, which are currently in successful operation in Mozambique.
Apart from BLW, other production units such Marhowra Plant in Bihar has also started exporting locomotives. On June 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive built at the Marhowra Plant, for export to the Republic of Guinea. This is the first export locomotive manufactured in this factory.
Officials said that since the establishment of Banaras Locomotive Works (formerly Diesel Locomotive Works) on 23 April 1956, it has manufactured more than 10,000 locomotives for Indian Railways, steel plants, mines, ports and export.
In January 1976, the first exported locomotive went to Tanzania. After this, the locomotive manufactured here were sent to countries like Vietnam, Mali, Senegal, Angola, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mozambique, Sudan etc. In all, a total of 174 locomotives have been exported by the BLW so far.
Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
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