Germany’s state-owned rail company, Deutsche Bahn (DB), has started recruiting locomotive pilots from India to support its global projects, as the company seeks to address a train driver shortage in Germany. Niko Warbanoff, CEO of DB International Operations (DB IO), explained that the company aims to utilise its Indian workforce across its international projects.

Company executives noted that approximately 100 Indian employees, about one-sixth of DB’s Indian workforce, have received training for global roles. Warbanoff mentioned that DB has hired and upskilled staff from Duhai in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, and nearby areas for these roles.

DB recently marked a year of operating India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), managing the 42-kilometre stretch with a workforce of 600, which Warbanoff described as a successful beginning. He highlighted India as a strategic market for DB. In July 2022, DB secured a 12-year contract to operate and maintain the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS, a contract valued at over Rs 100 million. This was a milestone, as it was the first instance in India where comprehensive operations and maintenance activities were handed over to a private entity, a departure from the usual government-led model for public transport services, such as railways and metro systems.

Warbanoff indicated that DB is interested in expanding its operations within India, particularly in managing metro services. Earlier in the month, DB Engineering & Consulting signed an agreement with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to explore joint business opportunities. This partnership will focus on areas such as system engineering and integration, general engineering consultancy, project management, and construction supervision for urban mass transit projects.

However, DB’s operations in India recently faced a minor setback with a derailment incident on the Rs 300 billion RRTS. A high-level inquiry committee of technical experts, established by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), issued a formal reprimand and corrective actions were subsequently taken.