Additional Member (Traction), Railway Board Somesh Kumar Visits Banaras Locomotive Works
Additional Member (Traction), Railway Board, Somesh Kumar visited Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), popularly known as Bareka, on October 3, 2026. During the visit, he carried out a detailed inspection of the Loco Frame Shop, Loco Assembly Shop and Loco Test Shops. He closely examined the modern technology being used in locomotive manufacturing, advanced production processes, high-quality standards and strict safety norms followed at the plant.
Somesh Kumar also inspected the cab of the Amrit Bharat locomotive and gained firsthand insights into the various stages of locomotive production, technical expertise and finer aspects of manufacturing. He held detailed discussions with concerned officials on the production processes and technical matters and issued necessary guidelines for further improvement.
Following the shop-floor inspection, a high-level review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Somesh Kumar in the Kirti Hall of the Administrative Building. Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Manish Kumar welcomed him by presenting a plant memento. During the meeting, a comprehensive review of BLW’s production activities, technical progress, locomotive manufacturing, quality control and the functioning of various departments was conducted.
Chief Electrical Engineer (Loco) Arvind Kumar Jain, Chief Design Engineer (Electrical) Anurag Gupta, Chief Electrical Engineer (Inspection) Bhardwaj Chaudhary, Chief Design Engineer (Diesel) Praveen Kumar and Chief Mechanical Engineer (Production & Marketing) Ram Janam Chaubey presented detailed information about the activities, achievements and technical advancements of their respective departments. In addition, Chief Materials Manager (Loco) Amit Verma, Principal Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sunil Kumar, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer Viveksheel and Principal Chief Electrical Engineer Manish Kumar also shared their views.
Several other senior officials were present on the occasion, including Principal Chief Materials Manager Alok Agrawal, Principal Financial Adviser Muktesh Mittal, Principal Chief Personnel Officer Lalji Chaudhary, Inspector General cum Principal Chief Security Commissioner Devraj Kumar Maurya, Chief Vigilance Officer Ankur Chandra, Chief Electrical Service Engineer Manoj Kumar Gupta, Chief Design Engineer (Project) Kaushalesh Singh, Chief Mechanical Engineer (Diesel-POH) S.B. Patel, Chief Mechanical Engineer (Service Engineer) Vipul Singh, Chief Engineer Shailendra Kumar Singh and Chief Safety Officer Jitendra Agrawal.
The visit assumes special significance as Banaras Locomotive Works continues to play a pivotal role in meeting the growing demand for modern locomotives on the Indian Railways network. BLW has been at the forefront of manufacturing electric and diesel locomotives and has progressively adapted to new technologies, including the production of energy-efficient and high-horsepower locomotives. The inspection of the Amrit Bharat loco cab reflects the Railway Board’s focus on indigenous development and passenger-centric design improvements.
During the discussions, emphasis was laid on further enhancing production capacity, maintaining stringent quality checks, ensuring worker safety and adopting the latest manufacturing techniques. Officials briefed the Additional Member on ongoing projects, challenges being faced and the roadmap for increasing output while adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety.
Somesh Kumar appreciated the efforts of the BLW team and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence. He stressed the importance of continuous innovation, skill development of the workforce and strict compliance with safety protocols at every stage of production. The review meeting provided a platform for inter-departmental coordination and alignment of goals with the broader vision of Indian Railways to achieve greater efficiency, self-reliance and modernisation.
The visit of the Additional Member (Traction) is expected to give fresh impetus to the ongoing initiatives at Banaras Locomotive Works. It underscores the Railway Board’s close monitoring of production units and its commitment to strengthening the manufacturing backbone of Indian Railways. With the growing focus on electrification, higher-speed operations and sustainable mobility, the role of units like BLW has become even more critical in supplying reliable and advanced locomotives.
Officials expressed confidence that the guidance and directions given during the visit would help BLW further improve its performance and contribute more effectively to the ambitious targets set by Indian Railways. The successful organisation of the inspection and review meeting reflects the high level of preparedness and professionalism at the premier locomotive manufacturing facility in Varanasi.
