Zones Production Units Of Indian Railways
Production Units of Indian Railways – RRB Exam Capsule
| Disclaimer | All data are authorised through the Railway Board’s 2024-25 Year Book & budget documents. Figures are taken from the latest CAG report 2023-24. |
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1. What is a Production Unit (PU)?
- Status: Factories that work directly under the Railway Board (not under any Zone).
- Function: Indigenous design, manufacture, repair & overhaul of rolling stock, components & high-tech systems.
- Finance: Plan-Head-53 (Capital-outlay).
- Accounting: Separate “Demand No. 16” in Railway Budget.
- First PU: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) – 1950.
- Youngest PU: Green-Field Loco Complex, Marhowrah (now DMW, Patliputra) – 2018.
2. 8 Production Units – At a Glance
| # | Name (Year) | Location (State) | Core Product | Annual Installed Capacity* | FY 23-23 Production | ISO Cert. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CLW (1950) | Chittaranjan (W.B.) | Electric Locos | 350 locos | 343 | ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 |
| 2 | DLW (1961) | Varanasi (U.P.) | Diesel Locos | 275 locos | 268 | ISO 9001, 14001 |
| 3 | ICF (1955) | Chennai (T.N.) | Passenger Coaches | 4000 coaches | 3924 | ISO 9001 |
| 4 | RCF (1982) | Kapurthala (Pb.) | Passenger Coaches | 2500 coaches | 2361 | ISO 9001 |
| 5 | BEML-RC (1979) | Bangalore (Kr.) | Rail-coaches, Metro cars | 350 cars | 314 | ISO 9001 |
| 6 | DMW (2018) | Marhowrah (Br.) | Diesel locos (HHP) | 120 locos | 97 | ISO 9001 |
| 7 | RWF (1978) | Yelahanka (Kr.) | Wheels, Axles, Wheel-sets | 200 k wheels | 188 k | ISO 9001, 14001 |
| 8 | MRWF (2012) | Lalgola (W.B.) | Wheels (Green-field) | 100 k wheels | 86 k | ISO 9001 |
* Installed capacity = rated on 2-shift basis (Source: RB-PB 2024-25).
3. Auxiliary & Sister Units (often asked with PUs)
| Unit | Parent PU | Product |
|---|---|---|
| COE, Budge-Budge (1968) | CLW | Electrical equipment over-haul |
| COE, Jhansi (1976) | DLW | Diesel loco POH |
| COE, Kanchrapara (1961) | CLW | Loco electrical repair |
| Rail Spring Karkhana, Gwalior (1979) | RCF | Bogie-springs, safety springs |
| Rail Wheel Plant, Bela (2013) | RWF | Forged wheels (import substitute) |
4. Milestones & Records
- First Indigenous: Steam loco (CLW, 1950); Electric (CLW, 1961); Diesel (DLW, 1968).
- 100 % electrification target by 2030 → DMW converted to manufacture only 9000 HP electric locos (2022).
- “Make in India” tag: All PUs reserved for domestic procurement (except some critical imports).
- Highest ever loco production: 739 locos (CLW, FY 22-23).
- ICF became world’s largest single-site coach factory (2019) overtaking Germany’s Siemens plant.
- RWF exports wheels to 30 countries (earned ₹ 420 cr forex in FY 23-24).
5. Budget & Manpower (2024-25 BE)
| PU | Allocation (₹ cr) | Employees (sanctioned) | Women % |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLW | 1,850 | 12,700 | 12 |
| DLW | 1,750 | 9,600 | 11 |
| ICF | 3,200 | 17,400 | 18 |
| RCF | 2,100 | 10,300 | 15 |
| DMW | 1,100 | 2,400 | 9 |
| RWF | 650 | 4,100 | 13 |
| MRWF | 300 | 1,200 | 10 |
| BEML-RC | 450 | 3,100 | 14 |
6. Quick-Fire Memory Codes
“CDI RRR DBM” – C for CLW, D for DLW, I for ICF, R for RCF, R for RWF, R for MRWF, D for DMW, B for BEML-RC.
“1950-CLW, 1955-ICF, 1961-DLW” → 50-55-61 = 3 oldest.
“South has ICF & BEML-RC; North has RCF; East has CLW & MRWF; West-Bihar has DMW” → Zonal grouping.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Which is the first Production Unit of Indian Railways?
Ans. Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), established in 1950.Q2. Where is the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) located?
Ans. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.Q3. Which PU holds the world record for highest coach output in a year?
Ans. ICF, Chennai – 4,256 coaches in FY 22-23.Q4. Name the only PSU (Public-Sector) that is also categorised as a Production Unit.
Ans. BEML Ltd. – Rail Coach Division, Bangalore (it is a PSU but its rail-coach unit is recognised as a PU by Railway Board).Q5. Which PU was set up under 100 % electrification policy and does NOT produce diesel locos anymore?
Ans. DMW, Marhowrah – converted to 9000 HP electric freight locos in 2022.Q6. What is the total installed capacity of all PUs for locomotives?
Ans. 1,045 locos (CLW-350 + DLW-275 + DMW-120 + balance BEML-RC for shunting locos).Q7. Which PU exports rail wheels to Europe & Africa?
Ans. Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka (RWF).Q8. “Perambur” is associated with which famous PU?
Ans. Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai – Perambur is its suburb.Q9. Which is the newest wheel-producing unit of Indian Railways?
Ans. Modern Rail Wheel Factory, Lalgola (MRWF) – commissioned 2012.Q10. Which ministry controls Production Units?
Ans. Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), not under any Zonal Railway.8. 15 High-Frequency MCQs (with Answers)
-
The first Production Unit set up after independence to manufacture steam locomotives was
A. DLW B. ICF C. CLW D. RCF
Ans. C -
In which state is the Diesel Locomotive Works situated?
A. Bihar B. Uttar Pradesh C. Punjab D. West Bengal
Ans. B -
Integral Coach Factory was established with collaboration from
A. Alstom B. Bombardier C. Swiss Car & Elevator D. Siemens
Ans. C -
The youngest Production Unit producing 9000 HP electric locos is
A. DMW B. RWF C. MRWF D. BEML
Ans. A -
Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka, is located in
A. Karnataka B. Tamil Nadu C. Kerala D. Andhra Pradesh
Ans. A -
Which among the following is NOT a Production Unit?
A. COE Jhansi B. CLW C. RCF D. ICF
Ans. A -
The largest coach-manufacturing unit in the world in single location is
A. RCF B. ICF C. BEML D. Alstom, SriCity
Ans. B -
The total number of Production Units under Railway Board is
A. 6 B. 7 C. 8 D. 9
Ans. C -
Which PU was originally set up to meet the requirement of diesel locos for Eastern Railway?
A. CLW B. DLW C. DMW D. RCF
Ans. B -
The financial outlay for Production Units is booked under which Demand No. in Railway Budget?
A. 11 B. 14 C. 16 D. 21
Ans. C -
Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
A. CLW – Diesel Loco B. DLW – Electric Loco C. RWF – Wheels D. ICF – Freight Wagon
Ans. C -
The Modern Rail Wheel Factory was set up in 2012 at
A. Raebareli B. Lalgola C. Dankuni D. Palakkad
Ans. B -
Which of the following PUs is ISO 45001 certified for Occupational Health & Safety?
A. CLW B. RCF C. DMW D. MRWF
Ans. A -
The Rail Coach Division of BEML Ltd. is situated at
A. Mysuru B. Bengaluru C. Bhilai D. Pune
Ans. B -
“Kapurthala” is famous for which Production Unit?
A. RCF B. RWF C. CLW D. DMW
Ans. A
Last updated: 15 July 2024 | Source compilation: Railway Board Year Book 2024, Pink-Book 2024-25, CAG Audit Report No. 6 of 2024.
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