The East Coast Railway (ECoR), Waltair Division’s diesel loco shed achieved another milestone on Friday when Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Anup Satpathy flagged off its 400th locomotive. 

The diesel loco shed in Visakhapatnam came into existence in 1965 with a holding of 13 WDM 1 locomotives to meet the traffic needs in transportation of the Kottavalasa-Kirandul line, mainly iron ore, from Bailadila Mines to Visakhapatnam Port Trust. Now, it holds a fleet of 400 locos of various capacities. 

Speaking on the occasion, DRM Anup Satpathy said it was the largest diesel loco maintenance depot of the Indian Railways with a fleet of 400 locomotives including 176 electrical locos. Various types of locomotives are being maintained in the shed for freight, passenger, and shunting purposes. The augmentation of the DLS is to facilitate uninterrupted maintenance works. 

Anup Satpathy also inaugurated the augmented diesel loco shed for homing electric locomotives. The funds for the extension works were allotted in 2015-16 and the works were completed by March. The construction work was taken up by the M/s IRCON International limited. The DRM also inaugurated the electronic test bench in the newly constructed shed.