Alstom's 'Make in India' electric locomotives go off track on test trials

Under the contract with Indian Railways, the first five locomotives were to be imported, while the remaining 795 were to be manufactured as part of the 'Make in India' initiative

In a setback for the ‘Make in India’ initiative of Indian Railways (IR) and Alstom's plans in the country, the French major's electric locomotive  has failed to clear a trial conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

On April 10 last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the new locomotives from Alstom India's Madhepura facility in Bihar. The facility is officially a joint venture, with the company having 74 per cent of the equity and IR the other 26 per cent.

According to an official source, during trial of the company’s prototype, “oscillation