New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has advised the Railways to increase the production of electric locomotives to meet their rising demand, raising "apprehensions" that at the current pace, future requirements will not be fulfilled.
The Standing Committee on Railways, in its report presented in Parliament on Thursday, noted that with the national transporter heading towards 100 per cent electrification on broad-gauge lines, the requirement of diesel locomotives would reduce substantially, while that of the electric ones would increase to a great extent.
"The Committee, while noting that Railways were in process of converting the diesel locos into electric or in dual mode said that they were apprehensive that with the present pace unless the capacity of the manufacturing units is enhanced, the quantum need for locos, will not be fulfilled.
"The Committee had, therefore, recommended that existing as well as future demands for electric locos be assessed/visualised so that the requirements of locos would be met adequately," the report stated. The committee also noted that the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) and the Patiala Locomotive Works (PLW) were given targets to manufacture 450 and 200 electric locomotives for 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively.
While BLW manufactured 104 electric locos during the 2021-22 financial year till the month February, PLW manufactured 331, it said. "The committee are of the firm belief that manufacturing of electric locos should be accorded highest priority since the demand of these locos would increase manifold after achieving the target of 100% electrification, Commissioning of DFCs and introduction of newly announced Vande Bharat Trains etc.
"Therefore, the committee reiterate their earlier recommendation and emphasize on the ministry to have a close monitoring on the capacity of their production units and prospective need of electric locos," it said. In its reply, the Railways stated that "production of electric locomotives have been consistently increasing since last few years to cater to requirement of additional electric locos commensurate with increased pace of electrification".
It further said that in order to meet the requirement of electric locomotives commensurate with the enhanced pace of electrification, BLW and PLW have been entrusted with the responsibility of manufacturing them. Responding to a similar concern over wagons, the Railways said it has taken steps to induct one lakh new wagons over the next three years to meet the increase in demand. (PTI)
