Indian Railways floats tender for procurement of 800 super power electric locomotives

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): National Transporter Indian Railways has floated a tender for the Manufacture and supply of 800 Electric Locomotive of 12,000 horsepower, Co-Co configuration spread over a period of 10 (ten) years at Banaras Locomotive Works, Varanasi. The estimated cost of tender is Rs 30,000 crores.

The 12000 HP, 6 axle Co-Co configuration Electric Locomotives are to be utilized all over Indian Railways Route including Dedicated Freight Corridors for hauling a 6000T load with an average speed of 75kmph.

The 800 electric locomotives are to be supplied to Indian Railways over a period of 10 years commencing from 2023-24. The selected technological partner will have to deliver 5 electric locomotives in the first year, 35 in the second, 60 in the third year, and 100 locos from the fourth year onwards till the end of the supply period in 2032-33.

The selected Technological Partner will upgrade the existing facilities and develop the additional facility at Manufacturing Site and Nominated Government Maintenance Depots as required, at its own cost and expense. It shall maintain all the infrastructures, facilities and equipment installed at Manufacturing Unit and Government Maintenance Depots utilized for manufacturing and maintenance purposes.

Indian Railways will hand over sites for developing the manufacturing and maintenance facilities. It will provide an adequate number of its staff at the manufacturing unit and at maintenance sheds as per Good Industry Practice. Apart from this, Railway will also arrange water and electricity for the Manufacturing and Maintenance Site free of cost.

The Bidding Documents can be viewed/downloaded from the official portal of the Railway website from 04.05.2022. Bidder must submit its Financial Bid and Technical Bid online before 10.08.2022 (till 11:00 hours). Technical Bids received online shall be opened on 10.08.2022 at 11:00 hours (IST).

Indian Railways has nominated a total of three depots for maintenance with a holding capacity of 250-300 each at Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Sabarmati (Gujarat) and Tughalakabad (Delhi).

For more details, bidders can contact Dr. Ram Niwas, Director of Electrical Engineering (Development), Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Room No. 109, Rail Bhavan, Raisina Road, New Delhi-110001. His Contact No. and email Id are 91-8595526735 /deedev@rb.railnet.gov.in.

The idea of such locomotives for freight movement was conceived in 2007-08. Normally, the freight trains were underpowered and this slowed down their movement.

A similar procurement tender for 12,000-HP electric locomotives was awarded to french firm Alstom as part of a contract worth 3.5 billion euros (about Rs 28,195 crore) in 2015. The contract was to supply 800 locomotives for freight service, capable of hauling 6,000 tonnes at a top speed of 120kmph. This has been the largest foreign direct investment project in the Indian railway sector to date.

Alstom in a joint venture with Indian Railways has set up a plant in Madhepura, Bihar. The company has supplied a total of 100 electric locomotives to Indian Railways so far.