All you need to know about 12,000 horsepower locomotive launched by PM Modi today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first high-powered electric locomotive on Tuesday in Bihar's Madhepura. This locomotive has put India on the elite list of countries which have 12,000 hp and above capacity electric locomotives.

Here are key things to know:

• The first electric locomotive of India is developed under a joint venture signed in 2015 of the railways with France’s Alstom company.
  
• This would be the first major foreign direct investment project in the rail sector.
  
• The total cost of the project - which includes making of the locomotive - is around Rs 1,300 crore, which includes setting up of the factory and two maintenance depots. The Railways ministry is required to contribute a maximum of Rs 100 crore as an equity participation of 26 per cent. The estimated cost of each locomotive is Rs 25 crore.
  
• With 12,000 horsepower, this is India’s most powerful locomotive helping India enter the elite list of countries including Russia, China, Sweden, Germany who have the same horsepower capacity electric locomotive.
  
• Till now, India’s most powerful locomotive was of 6,000 horsepower.
  
• The locomotive will have a maximum speed of 110 km per hour and will help in decongesting routes by improving speed. Three locos will be pressed into service to transport coal and iron.
  
• A team of 35 engineers worked to assemble the locomotive at Madhepura facility.
  
• The loco factory was launched in 2007 by former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.
  
• After the electrification of almost all railways routes, the Indian Railways is planning to produce 800 more locomotives in the next 10 years.
  
• Except for the first five locomotives, remaining 795 will be manufactured in the country under the Make in India initiative.
  
• The factory will produce 100 locos every year till the target of 800 is completed.
  
• Four more such locomotives are expected to be rolled out in 2018-19.

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