Alstom begins manufacturing 96 driverless metro cars for Chennai Metro
The production of 32 trainsets will take place at the Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh under a 135-million-euro contract.
French train maker Alstom commenced manufacturing 96 Metropolis driverless metro cars for Chennai Metro Phase II at its Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, according to Moneycontrol and BusinessLine.
The work is being carried out under a 135-million-euro contract awarded in 2025. Alstom will produce 32 trainsets in three-car configurations and provide 15 years of comprehensive maintenance following the warranty period.
The Chennai Metro Phase II project covers approximately 119 km, including 76 km of elevated tracks and 43 km of underground sections across three corridors. These Metropolis trains are designed at Alstom's engineering centre in Bengaluru and built in Sri City.
The trains are configured for Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) driverless operations with a speed of 80 km/h. Each three-car set can hold up to 900 passengers and includes air conditioning, CCTV, real-time information displays, perch seats, and specific areas for women and differently-abled commuters.
Alstom India Managing Director Olivier Loison said the start of production reinforces the company's enduring association with Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). He noted that the partnership began with the city's first metro project.
Since receiving its first contract from CMRL in 2010, Alstom has delivered 208 metro cars for Phase I.