PM Modi Inaugurates Railway Manufacturing Plant In Dahod, Unveils Key Rail Projects Worth ₹23,692 Crore
Dahod: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Gujarat for the first time since Operation Sindoor. He has inaugurated a state-of-the-art locomotive manufacturing plant in Dahod. Built at a cost of ₹21,405 crore under the Ministry of Railways, the facility marks a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in rail infrastructure.
During the event, PM Modi also dedicated several major railway projects worth a total of ₹23,692 crore. These include the doubling of key railway lines (Anand-Godhra, Mehsana-Palanpur, Rajkot-Hadmatiya), electrification of the 107-km Sabarmati-Botad line, and gauge conversion on the Kalol-Kadi-Katosan line. The centerpiece of the inauguration was the rollout of the country’s first 9000 HP locomotive engine, manufactured at the new Dahod facility.
The plant, developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, is expected to produce 1,200 high-power electric locomotives over the next 10 years. These engines, fully “Make in India,” are also set to be exported globally in the future. Currently, four engines are in the final stages of production, each labeled “Manufactured by Dahod.”
The new plant is projected to create direct and indirect employment for over 10,000 people in Dahod and surrounding areas, boosting the local economy. Small and medium enterprises in sectors like power and engineering are also expected to benefit from the supply chain opportunities emerging from this project. Maintenance hubs for these engines will be located in Kharagpur (West Bengal), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), and Pune (Maharashtra).
Apart from the railway plant, PM Modi also flagged off the Vande Bharat train between Sabarmati and Veraval. He further inaugurated multiple urban development initiatives in Dahod, including a new municipality building, tribal museum, smart library and school, truck terminal with dormitory facilities, and the Doodhmati Riverfront.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel accompanied PM Modi during the inspection of the Dahod manufacturing plant and the launch of these infrastructure initiatives.