Chittranjan Locomotive Works
Encyclopedia
Chittranjan Locomotive Works ( Bengali
: চিত্তরঞ্জন লোকোমোটিভ ওয়ার্কস ) is an electric locomotive
manufacturer based in India
, one of the largest manufacturers in the world.
. The manufacturing unit was established at a place close to the Mihijam
railway station in Barddhaman district, in the state of West Bengal
. The 18.34 km2 township, which included a factory, 191 km. of roadways, 43 schools, 9,131 staff quarters, 8 clinics (including a 200 bed hospital) and 7 markets, was built at a cost of Rs.
140 million and had a population of over 80,000. The factory commenced the production of steam locomotive
s on the 26 January 1950 (the date when India formally declared itself a Republic), in collaboration with the North British Locomotive Company
. On November 1, 1950 Indian President Dr. Rajendra Prasad
formally dedicated the first steam rail-engine produced by the company (a WG class locomotive
bearing the registration number 8401) to the freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das. The name of the nearby railway station Mihijam
was also changed to Chittaranjan. Post-1968 the factory began to manufacture diesel-hydraulic locomotives. The production of steam and diesel locomotives were discontinued in 1973 and 1994 respectively. The company has since been manufacturing only electric rail-engines. It is now the only government electric loco producing factory in India.The factory obtains its iron & steel from Asansol and Jamshedpur and hydel power from Maithon Dam. The township under CLW i.e. Chittaranjan is bordered by high boundaries and 3 main gates, and guarded by Railway Protection Force(RPF), Railway Protection Special Force(RPSF) and also West Bengal police.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
: চিত্তরঞ্জন লোকোমোটিভ ওয়ার্কস ) is an electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
manufacturer based in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, one of the largest manufacturers in the world.
Overview
Founded in 1947 the company is named after the Indian freedom-fighter Chittaranjan DasChittaranjan Das
Chittaranjan Das was an eminent Bengali lawyer and a major figure in the Indian independence movement.-Personal life:...
. The manufacturing unit was established at a place close to the Mihijam
Mihijam
Mihijam is a city and a notified area in Jamtara district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Demographics: India census, Mihijam had a population of 32,869. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Mihijam has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%:...
railway station in Barddhaman district, in the state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The 18.34 km2 township, which included a factory, 191 km. of roadways, 43 schools, 9,131 staff quarters, 8 clinics (including a 200 bed hospital) and 7 markets, was built at a cost of Rs.
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
140 million and had a population of over 80,000. The factory commenced the production of steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s on the 26 January 1950 (the date when India formally declared itself a Republic), in collaboration with the North British Locomotive Company
North British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
. On November 1, 1950 Indian President Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
formally dedicated the first steam rail-engine produced by the company (a WG class locomotive
Indian locomotives
Locomotives in India consist of electric and diesel locomotives. Steam locomotives are no longer used, except in heritage trains. Locomotives are also called locos or engines....
bearing the registration number 8401) to the freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chittranjan Das. The name of the nearby railway station Mihijam
Mihijam
Mihijam is a city and a notified area in Jamtara district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Demographics: India census, Mihijam had a population of 32,869. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Mihijam has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%:...
was also changed to Chittaranjan. Post-1968 the factory began to manufacture diesel-hydraulic locomotives. The production of steam and diesel locomotives were discontinued in 1973 and 1994 respectively. The company has since been manufacturing only electric rail-engines. It is now the only government electric loco producing factory in India.The factory obtains its iron & steel from Asansol and Jamshedpur and hydel power from Maithon Dam. The township under CLW i.e. Chittaranjan is bordered by high boundaries and 3 main gates, and guarded by Railway Protection Force(RPF), Railway Protection Special Force(RPSF) and also West Bengal police.