Alstom signs €3.7bn of Indian light rail deals

Alstom has signed two major contracts in India with a total value of more than €3.7bn (£2.6bn).

One is for the supply 800 electric locomotives and associated long-term maintenance and the other will provide the electrification, signalling and a telecommunications system for a 343km-long section of a dedicated freight corridor.

Signing of the locomotives contract follows a letter of award received last month. Indian Railways will be supplied with locomotives from Alstom’s Prima range. They run at speeds of up to 120 km/h. The project will be carried out by a recently formed JV in which Alstom and Indian Railways respectively hold a 74% and 26% stake. The scope of the project includes the set-up of a manufacturing plant at Madhepura in Bihar state, where most of the locomotives will be assembled. The project also includes the set-up of two maintenance depots at Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Nagpur in Maharashtra.

The second contract, worth over €200m, will provide the electrification, signalling and telecommunications for the eastern portion of a major government-led project to build eastern and western freight corridors across the country. As part of the contract, Alstom will also build the stations and provide the control centre.