To supply train sets, power equipment

Alstom, a maker of rail transport equipment, said it had won contracts worth €75 million to supply power equipment to Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation and Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation and train sets to Chennai Metro Rail Corporation.

The French company also announced the completion of its first all-electric locomotive from its facility in Madhepura in Bihar as part of a €3.5 billion order from Indian Railways consisting of 800 electric double-section locomotives.

‘Cutting cost’

The locomotives would not only bring down the operating costs but also cut down on greenhouse gas emissions as well, according to a statement from the company. The agreement with Ministry of Railways is part of the public-private partnership programme to modernise India’s railway infrastructure. The Madhepura facility is a joint venture between Alstom, which holds 74% and Indian Railways, which holds the rest. The locomotives have a hauling capacity of 6,000 tons and speed of 120 kms per hour.

On September last year, Siemens and Alstom agreed to merge their rail operations.

“Our operations in India are paramount to our business globally and we continue to stay committed to developing India’s infrastructure needs, improving the quality of services to citizens and investing in the nation’s economy,” Henri Poupart-Lafarge, chairman and CEO, Alstom, said in a statement.

“This project stands as a shining example of Alstom’s commitment to ‘Make in India.’ Apart from creating thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly, we have created a strong localised supply chain for this project, with 90% of the components for the prototype sourced locally,” he added.