Chennai Metro: CMRL floats tender to procure 70 driverless trains

30 Jul 2021 CW Team

Unattended train operation (UTO) or driverless operation, according to CMRL, will be the predominant mode of train operation when the Metro begins operation in phase II. If the UTO is not available for any reason, the train operator will be on board to operate the train in manual mode.

The official told the media that they plan to operate three coach trains at first, with the number of coaches increasing to six if demand grows. A three-car rake can transport 980 passengers, while a six-car rake can transport 1,970. Phase II trains would not have first-class coaches, unlike phase I trains.

The vehicles' maximum allowable operating speed is 80 km per hour, with a design speed of 90 km per hour. According to media reports, the trains could travel an average of 1,50,000 km per year at a minimum average operating speed of 32 kmph during the project's entire fleet operation conditions.

The rakes should have ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as front and rear end evacuation emergency detrainment doors, according to the tender document. For security and emergency doorway monitoring, the vehicles would also have onboard and external CCTV cameras.

The Tamil Nadu government established a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to carry out the Chennai Metro Rail Project. The Chennai Metro Rail Limited SPV was formed under the Companies Act on 3 December 2007. It has now been converted into a joint venture between the centre and Tamil Nadu, with both governments owning equal stakes.

Image Source

Also read: CMRL gets approval for beautification work of central railway station

Also read: HCC-KEC JV secures Rs 1,147 cr order for Chennai metro project

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has issued tenders for the design, manufacture, testing, and commissioning of 210 cars of standard gauge metro rolling stock for operation in three corridors—Madhavaram to Sipcot, Madhavaram to Sholinganallur and Lighthouse to Poonamallee. Unattended train operation (UTO) or driverless operation, according to CMRL, will be the predominant mode of train operation when the Metro begins operation in phase II. If the UTO is not available for any reason, the train operator will be on board to operate the train in manual mode. The official told the media that they plan to operate three coach trains at first, with the number of coaches increasing to six if demand grows. A three-car rake can transport 980 passengers, while a six-car rake can transport 1,970. Phase II trains would not have first-class coaches, unlike phase I trains. The vehicles' maximum allowable operating speed is 80 km per hour, with a design speed of 90 km per hour. According to media reports, the trains could travel an average of 1,50,000 km per year at a minimum average operating speed of 32 kmph during the project's entire fleet operation conditions. The rakes should have ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as front and rear end evacuation emergency detrainment doors, according to the tender document. For security and emergency doorway monitoring, the vehicles would also have onboard and external CCTV cameras. The Tamil Nadu government established a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to carry out the Chennai Metro Rail Project. The Chennai Metro Rail Limited SPV was formed under the Companies Act on 3 December 2007. It has now been converted into a joint venture between the centre and Tamil Nadu, with both governments owning equal stakes. Image Source Also read: CMRL gets approval for beautification work of central railway station Also read: HCC-KEC JV secures Rs 1,147 cr order for Chennai metro project

Infrastructure Energy

09 Mar 2026

BMW Industries partners with IOCL for PNG supply at Bokaro plant

BMW Industries has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) for the supply of Piped Natural Gas (PNG), reinforcing its commitment to adopting cleaner and more efficient energy sources for its operations.The agreement was signed at the Eastern Region Pipelines (ERPL) headquarters in Kolkata. The partnership is expected to support the company’s upcoming manufacturing facility in Bokaro by facilitating the use of natural gas as a primary energy source.According to the company, the adoption of PNG will help enhance operational efficiency while also contributing to ..

Real Estate

09 Mar 2026

Bombay Realty Secures RERA for Three ICC Tower in South Mumbai

Bombay Realty, the real estate arm of Bombay Dyeing and part of the Wadia Group, has received Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) certification for Three ICC – Wing A, the latest luxury residential tower at Island City Center in Mumbai’s Dadar.The RERA registration marks a key milestone in the development timeline and reinforces the company’s focus on regulatory transparency, timely project delivery, and high construction standards.Following the success of One ICC and Two ICC, the upcoming Three ICC tower represents the next phase of the Island City Center development. The project ai..

Infrastructure Energy

09 Mar 2026

Flender launches India’s largest wind gearbox test rig in Walajabad

Flender has inaugurated a 13.5 MW wind turbine gearbox test rig at its Walajabad facility near Chennai, marking the largest installation of its kind in India. The new facility is expected to strengthen the company’s manufacturing and testing capabilities while supporting the growing demands of the wind power sector in both domestic and global markets.The test rig was inaugurated on March 5 in the presence of Andreas Evertz, Group CEO, Flender; Lars Wiegemann, Vice President Wind Gears, Flender; and Vinod Shetty, CEO, Flender India, along with key industry customers and stakeholders.The insta..