Alstom has secured a five-year maintenance services contract for WAG-12B electric freight locomotives through its joint venture with Indian Railways, Madhepura Electric Locomotive Private Limited (MELPL).

The 62 million EUR agreement, awarded by Indian Railways, covers the maintenance of 300 WAG-12B locomotives at the Sabarmati locomotive depot. These units form part of the remaining deliveries under the original 800-locomotive contract awarded to Alstom in 2015. The maintenance programme will run until February 2031.

Under the contract, MELPL will carry out scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activities to meet agreed availability and reliability targets. The scope includes material supply, locomotive washing, logistics support and remote diagnostics. Prompt Response Teams will be deployed at strategic locations, equipped with specialised tools and critical spare parts to support fault resolution and reduce service disruptions.

The Sabarmati depot operation will complement Alstom’s existing maintenance activities at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Nagpur in Maharashtra, where the first 500 WAG-12B locomotives are currently maintained.

It is an honour to be Indian Railways’ partner of choice again, as it is reflective of the legacy established by MELPL and Alstom. Over the last decade we have worked collaboratively with the IR organisation in supporting their freight revolution vision. We are thrilled to be trusted, for our remarkable maintenance capabilities and our reliability and availability track record.

Alstom will also continue its training programme for Indian Railways personnel as part of the agreement. According to the company, more than 22,000 railway staff have been trained to date.

The WAG-12B, also known as the Prima T8, is a 12,000 horsepower, double-section electric freight locomotive designed to haul loads of around 6,000 tonnes. The fleet forms part of India’s strategy to expand electric freight traction and reduce reliance on diesel locomotives.