BLW
Varanasi: Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) has scripted a new chapter in the industrial history of Indian Railways by achieving its highest-ever annual production of 572 locomotives in the financial year 2025–26. The milestone has been accomplished under the able leadership of General Manager Ashutosh Pant, reflecting BLW’s strong technical capability, efficient management, and the tireless efforts of its workforce.
In comparison, BLW had produced 477 locomotives in the financial year 2024–25, marking an impressive growth of nearly 20 per cent this year. The achievement is a matter of pride not only for BLW but for the entire Indian Railways fraternity.
Of the 572 locomotives manufactured this year, 558 are modern electric locomotives for Indian Railways, including 401 WAG-9 freight locomotives, 143 WAP-7 passenger locomotives, and 14 Amrit Bharat locomotives. In addition, 10 diesel locomotives were produced for export to Mozambique and four for domestic customers.
Notably, against a target of 553 electric locomotives for 2025–26, BLW surpassed expectations by producing 558 units—about 1 per cent above the target and 18 per cent higher than the previous year.
Since its inception, BLW has built a total of 11,259 locomotives, including 2,925 electric units, underscoring its significant contribution to the self-reliance and technological advancement of Indian Railways.
The factory has also prioritised crew comfort and safety by equipping locomotive cabs with advanced features such as waterless urinals, CLI seats, signal exchange lights, DPWCS, and the ‘Kavach’ safety system. These innovations have earned BLW the first prize for Best Loco Cab in the production unit category.
On the global front, BLW continues to meet international standards. The prestigious European body UNIFE has awarded BLW the ISO 22163 Silver Grade certification under the International Railway Industry Standard (IRIS) for the second consecutive time, recognising its quality and reliability.
BLW has also demonstrated a strong commitment to energy conservation and environmental protection. Through rainwater harvesting systems, including ponds and soak pits, thousands of litres of water are conserved annually. In FY 2025–26, the installed capacity of its grid-connected solar power plant reached 3,874 kWp, generating 4.176 million units of solar energy—about 19.87 per cent of its annual energy consumption—resulting in savings of approximately ₹1.58 crore.
In the field of official language promotion, BLW has been honoured with the “Rail Minister Rajbhasha Shield” by the Railway Board for its outstanding efforts in promoting Hindi.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Railways has set an ambitious target of producing 642 electric locomotives for BLW in the financial year 2026–27. Congratulating the workforce, Mr Pant expressed confidence that BLW will continue to achieve new milestones in the coming year.
-PIB
About the Author
