Alstom has won a contract worth €98 million (₹798 crore) to design, manufacture, supply, test, and commission 78 advanced metro coaches by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).
These new metro cars will operate on the 26 km corridor, part of Phase-II, connecting Poonamallee Bypass to Light House through 28 (18 elevated and ten underground) stations.
The contract’s scope includes manufacturing 26 metro trains (three-car configuration) that can operate at 80 kmph and training personnel. The metro trains are designed and engineered to run driverless enabled with Unattended Train Operations. These trains can completely run-on signals, and their operations will be monitored from the Operations Control Centre.
Previously, Alstom has manufactured and delivered 208 metro cars for the 54 km of the first phase, plus the Extension of Corridor-I from the Airport to Wimco Nagar and Corridor-II from Chennai Central to St Thomas Mount.
These trains are equipped with Automatic Train Protection, Automatic Train Operation and a regenerative braking system ensuring significant energy savings. In addition, the company has successfully designed, tested, and commissioned the track works covering 45 km of corridors I & II for the Chennai Metro.
100 per cent indigenous
These metro cars will be 100 per cent indigenous and manufactured at one of Alstom’s largest urban rolling stock manufacturing facilities in Sri City in Andhra Pradesh. According to a release from Alstom, the facility has an annual capacity to produce 480 cars.
Olivier Loison, Managing Director-Alstom India, said the company’s manufacturing journey in India began with the trains for Chennai Metro Phase-I in 2014, which was also the first Rolling Stock order win for the company in India.
The advanced trains delivered by Alstom have been operating on our metro lines for many years, proving their strong capability to cater to the Indian market.
“We are confident that the Phase II project will provide better connectivity with minimal impact to the environment and benefit the lives of millions of people living in the city,” said Rajesh Chaturvedi, Director-Systems & Operation, CMRL.