High-Speed Loco Rollout In 1997-98

The company is setting up a unit in Baroda in which it plans to invest over Rs 100 crore in the first phase. The unit will make and procure equipment and component required for Chitranjan Loco.

The facility will acquire the capability to roll out full-fledged, high-speed locomotives by 2000 to meet the export requirements of neighbouring countries. The unit could also function as source base for meeting the component requirements of companys other manufacturing centres outside India.

The activities in this phase will comprise engineering and manufacture of electrical components for electric locos and EMUs, besides signalling systems. In the second phase, the unit will make full electric loco sets and will undertake revamping of rolling stock besides undertaking complete engineering and supply of integrated signalling systems. The facility is in addition to the one at Halol near Baroda for producing turbine generators.

 

The company has already formed a subsidiary, ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation (India) Ltd, to undertake the job. It is headquartered in Delhi.

Kaare Vagner, president and CEO of the parent company, said this was for the first time that the new technology was being transferred outside Europe.

The eight completely knocked-down kits (CKDs) that have arrived at Chitranjan Loco are under assembly, while another six that arrived assembled are under commissioning. Vagner said that the rest of the CKD freight locomotives, numbering eight, would arrive shortly.