New Delhi / Saharsa: The maintenance of India’s most powerful 12,000 horsepower electric locomotives manufactured at the Madhepura Electric Locomotive Factory has expanded with the commissioning of a third maintenance depot in Gujarat. The new depot has been set up at Sabarmati, strengthening Indian Railways’ infrastructure for the upkeep of high-capacity freight locomotives.

The Sabarmati depot will be responsible for the maintenance of locomotives numbered from 501 to 800, covering a total of 300 engines. Maintenance operations at the depot will be jointly carried out by French multinational Alstom and Indian Railways personnel. For this purpose, Alstom has signed a contract worth 62 million euros with Indian Railways, under which the company will be responsible for locomotive maintenance until February 2031.

Alstom India Managing Director Olivier Loison said that the continued trust shown by Indian Railways reflects Alstom’s strong legacy, reliability, and proven maintenance capabilities, built through over a decade of collaboration with the national transporter.

Over 584 Locomotives Already in Service

The pace of production at the Madhepura Electric Locomotive Factory indicates that the target of manufacturing 800 locomotives may be achieved well before the stipulated timeline of March 2028. So far, more than half of the planned fleet—584 electric locomotives—have already been rolled out from the factory and are currently hauling freight trains across the Indian Railways network.

Additionally, six more 12,000 horsepower electric locomotives, capable of hauling heavier loads than any other in the country, are scheduled to be completed and dispatched from the Madhepura factory this month.

Comprehensive Maintenance Coverage

Under the agreement with Indian Railways, Alstom will undertake both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activities. The scope of work includes the supply of essential materials and spare parts, washing and cleaning of locomotives, depot logistics management, real-time monitoring through remote diagnostics, and upkeep of depot infrastructure.

To ensure uninterrupted locomotive operations, Alstom’s Prompt Response Team (PRT) will be deployed under its FlexCare Perform maintenance model. Equipped with advanced tools and spare parts, the team will address technical issues swiftly to minimize downtime and ensure high fleet availability.