Amid Railways electrification thrust, Vijayawada division flags off 100th three-phase locomotive

Vijayawada: At a time when the Indian Railways is according major thrust to electrification, the South Central Railway (SCR) zone's Vijayawada Division has marked the milestone of flagging off the 100th three-phase electric locomotive.

Divisional railway manager (DRM) Shivendra Mohan has flagged of the locomotive from the Electric Loco Shed (ELS) in Vijayawada on Wednesday evening, which was built at the Chitranjan Locomotive Works and allotted to the division.

Established in April 1981, ELS has completed 42 years of service and it was initially commissioned to maintain conventional electric locomotives, a statement shared on Thursday.

Following servicing such locomotives for four decades, the loco shed has graduated to take up upgraded versions, 3-Phase electric locomotives, from April 2021.

"In a span of just two years, ELS has proved its capacity and calibre to commission and maintain 100 3-Phase locomotives," said the statement.

Further, the shed functions as an electric locomotive power depot, performing locomotive maintenance and repair services for the Railways.

It also offers all major and minor schedules such as annual overhauling, intermediate overhauling, monthly checks and schedules to maintain the fitness of locomotives.

Currently, the Vijayawada shed holds 264 locomotives, 100 three-phase electric ones and 164 conventional electric locomotives.

Inputs from PTI