Railways' Varanasi unit shatters production records with 65 electric engines built in 30 days

In April 1956, India’s first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone for a manufacturing plant in Varanasi. By August 1961, the facility emerged as the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), later inaugurating its first broad-gauge locomotive, the WDM-2, under Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in January 1964. Decades later, that same facility — now renamed Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) — has reached a momentous manufacturing milestone.

During July 2026, BLW manufactured 65 electric locomotives in a single calendar month, setting the highest monthly production record in its operational history across any financial year. The landmark output surpasses its previous monthly record set in March 2025, when the plant produced 61 electric locomotives.

Fleet breakdown & Manufacturing portfolio 

The record-breaking July 2026 rollout comprises three distinct locomotive categories tailored for freight and passenger operations across Indian Railways. The production run included 44 WAG-9HC heavy-haul freight locomotives, 13 WAP-7 high-speed passenger locomotives, and 8 Amrit Bharat next-generation passenger locomotives, bringing the total output for the month to 65 units.

To date, BLW has produced a cumulative total of 11,445 locomotives, of which 3,109 are electric locomotives — underscoring its successful transition from traditional diesel manufacturing to high-capacity electric rolling stock.

Commending the workforce on the operational milestone, Banaras Locomotive Works General Manager Ashutosh Pant attributed the result to collective operational discipline. "This achievement is the result of hard work, dedication, team spirit, and excellent work culture of every employee."

Pant expressed confidence that BLW will exceed the Ministry of Railways' annual target of 468 electric locomotives for the 2026–27 financial year ahead of schedule while maintaining strict quality control.

He added that the production milestone further reinforces BLW's key role in modernizing Indian Railways and building a self-reliant India. "This achievement further strengthens BLW's leading role in the modernization of Indian Railways and the building of a self-reliant India."

Global footprint & Export reach 

Operating under the "Make in India, Make for the World" vision, BLW has expanded its presence beyond domestic supply lines to international railway networks. The Varanasi-based facility has exported a total of 182 locomotives across 11 countries, including Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Mali, Senegal, Angola, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

With high-capacity manufacturing lines running at peak throughput, BLW continues to anchor India’s domestic rail expansion and international rolling stock exports.