Chennai Metro Rail Limited has recently inked a supplementary contract valued at Rs 269 crore with Alstom, a renowned French multinational rolling stock manufacturer.
The purpose of this contract is to acquire an additional 10 sets of driverless trains to augment its operations in Phase II.
The official signing ceremony involved Rajesh Chaturvedi, the director (Systems and Operations) of Chennai Metro Rail, and Rajeev Joisar, the commercial director of India & South Asia at Alstom Transport India Limited.
This comprehensive agreement encompasses the provision of driverless trains, covering their design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning of standard gauge metro rolling stock, personnel training, spare parts supply, and defect liability.
The anticipated completion time for these activities is approximately 28 months.
The designated maintenance and operation location for these trains is the depot under construction in Poonamallee, part of Metro Corridor-4.
This collaborative effort aligns with the terms of the contract initially awarded to Alstom Transport India Limited on 17 November 2022, reports The New Indian Express.
The agreement specifies the supply of 26 driverless train sets, each comprising a three-car formation, totalling 78 cars.
This recent procurement brings the total number of ordered trains to 36, all featuring three-car formations and amounting to 108 cars, as highlighted in an official release.
The Phase II project will involve the construction of 128 stations and three rail corridors. Corridor 3 will run from Madhavaram to SIPCOT, covering a distance of 45.8 km. Corridor 4 will span from Lighthouse to Poonamallee Bypass, covering a distance of 26.1 km. Lastly, Corridor 5 will connect Madhavaram to Sholinganallur, spanning a distance of 47 km.
The anticipated opening of the 116.1km Phase II is between 2026 and 2028. The estimated cost of Chennai Metro Rail Phase II project is Rs 61,843 crore.