CHENNAI: Chennai is set to receive its first driverless metro train by February 2027 under a Rs 1,538.35 crore contract awarded to Alstom Transport India, as the city wraps up procurement for its Phase 2 metro expansion.
The contract, signed this week by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and Alstom, covers the supply of 32 fully automated three-car trains — 96 coaches in total — along with a 15-year comprehensive maintenance commitment. The driverless trains, designed for Unattended Train Operation (UTO), are expected to undergo 14 months of testing and integration trials following the initial delivery.
Subsequent trains will be delivered in phases between September 2027 and May 2028, according to CMRL.
“This is the third and final rolling stock package under Phase 2,” CMRL said in a statement, adding that with this agreement, all major train procurement for the project is now complete. Deliveries for the earlier two contracts,also awarded to Alstom, are already underway.
Manoj Goyal, Director (Systems & Operations) at CMRL, and Parag Nandlal Gohel, Customer Director (South) at Alstom, signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from CMRL, general consultant AEON, and Alstom.
The scope of work includes design, manufacturing, supply, testing, commissioning, personnel training, and long-term maintenance of the new rolling stock. The trains are expected to be manufactured at Alstom’s facility in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh.