Indian Railways Champaran Humsafar Express flagged off by PM Narendra Modi
PM Narendra Modi has flagged off the first run of the Champaran Humsafar Express between Katihar and Old Delhi and laid the foundation stone of a project for doubling of Muzzafarpur-Sagauli (100.6 km) and Sagauli-Valmikinagar sections (109.7 km). The prime minister dedicated the first phase of the factory to the nation.
Also, as part of his Make in India initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India's first 12,000-horsepower electric locomotive for Indian Railways from Bihar's Madhepura locomotive factory today.
The prime minister was at Motihari in Bihar to attend the event to mark 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagrah. The programme aims to spread the message of Swachh Bharat.
Earlier, the Indian Railways had signed a pact with French company Alstom for 800 high-speed engines. Locomotive, which will have maximum speed of 110 km per hour, is estimated to cost Rs 25 crore each. According to the deal, the first five electric engines will be imported and the remaining 795 will be manufactured in India over a period of 11 years.
The project will cost the Indian Railways Rs 20,000 crore which includes Rs 1,300 crore cost for setting up the factory at Madhepura. India will now join the select group of countries, which have engine of 12,000 HP and above, including Russia, China, Germany and Sweden.
Till date India’s most powerful electric engine was of 6,000 horsepower(HP). Five locomotives will be assembled at the factory by 2019, 35 engines will be manufactured in the next financial year (2019-20) and 60 in financial year 2020-21.
The high horsepower engines will be used to run freight trains. These engines will have the ability to endure the tough Indian climate.