Archive · 31 Aug 2026
Madhepura Factory Trains India’s Global Rail Engineering Workforce
A factory in Madhepura, Bihar, makes very powerful electric trains for Indian Railways.
The factory is jointly owned by Indian Railways and Alstom, a French company.
It has delivered 650 locomotives out of an order for 800.
These locomotives can pull loads weighing as much as 6,000 tonnes.
Most of their parts are now made in India instead of being imported.
The project has also helped train engineers who work on train projects around the world.
The factory uses computer tools to find maintenance problems early.
This has made repairs faster and reduced the materials needed.
The company is discussing how to keep the factory operating after the current contract ends.
Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited has supplied 650 of 800 planned locomotives to Indian Railways.
The 12,000-horsepower locomotives can haul up to 6,000 tonnes and reach a top speed of 120 kmph.
More than 90% of the locomotives’ components are now manufactured in India, according to MELPL Managing Director Vivek Garg.
Garg said India now handles more than 30% of Alstom’s global engineering work, aided by capabilities developed through the Madhepura project.
Condition-based monitoring and digital tools have reduced maintenance time by nearly 20% and material requirements by about 15%.
- Who
- Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited, a joint venture between Indian Railways and Alstom, led in the interview by Managing Director Vivek Garg.
- What
- The project manufactures 12,000-horsepower electric locomotives and has helped expand India’s railway engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
- When
- The joint venture began in 2015; its current contract runs until March 2028, and its 650th locomotive was supplied on August 15.
- Where
- The main locomotive factory is in Madhepura, Bihar, with related manufacturing facilities in Kolkata and Coimbatore and maintenance teams in Saharanpur, Nagpur and Sabarmati.
- Why
- The project was created to supply powerful freight locomotives, localise manufacturing and develop an Indian engineering and supplier ecosystem.
- Ownership
- Alstom holds 74% of Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited; Indian Railways is the other joint-venture partner.
- Locomotive output
- 650 locomotives have been supplied out of a contracted 800.
- Power and capacity
- Each locomotive has 12,000 horsepower and can haul loads of up to 6,000 tonnes.
- Localisation
- More than 90% of components are manufactured in India.
- Imported components
- Wheels and axles are sourced from China and Ukraine because an Indian supplier for the required design and specification is unavailable.
- Engineering contribution
- More than 30% of Alstom’s global engineering work is now carried out in India, according to Vivek Garg.
- Efficiency gains
- Condition-based monitoring and digital tools have reduced maintenance time by almost 20% and material requirements by close to 15%.
- Contract outlook
- The remaining 150 locomotives are scheduled for delivery by March 2028, and Indian Railways has an option for 200 additional locomotives.