Locomotive shortage forces Indian Railways to use freight engines on passenger trains, causing hours-long delays

Indian Railways is experiencing a shortfall of passenger-dedicated locomotives, prompting the use of freight engines that operate at reduced speeds and causing delays that can extend for several hours. Official data record an average of 80 to 100 such substitutions each month, with recent examples including Train No. 11044, delayed by 5 hours 28 minutes, and two trains on September 21 that ran on WAG-9 freight locomotives instead of their scheduled WAP-1 or WAP-7 units.

The Railway Ministry has responded by accelerating locomotive production, approving a total of 679 new passenger engines over the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years, comprising 326 WAP-7s and 166 additional units. One outlet fleet totals about 17,900 locomotives, of which roughly 13,700 are electric and 4,200 diesel, but only around 3,400 electric units are passenger-type. Officials note that electrification growth since 2014 has shifted focus toward electric locomotives, while earlier neglect of manufacturing contributed to the present shortage. The ministry emphasizes ongoing efforts to expand capacity and improve asset utilization to restore punctuality.