Chennai Metro to Expand Fleet with 28 New Six-Coach Trains to Ease Congestion!
To alleviate congestion on metro trains, the Chennai Metro Rail Corporation plans to procure 28 trains of six coaches each, at a cost of Rs. 2,820 crore. This procurement has been approved by NITI Aayog.
Currently, 45 metro trains with four coaches each serve the 54 km stretch between Chennai Airport to Wimco Nagar and Parangimalai to Chennai Central, accommodating about 2.70 lakh to 3 lakh passengers daily. With the increasing number of passengers, there is a pressing need to enhance the metro service.
The plan to upgrade from four-coach to six-coach trains aims to improve passenger convenience on these routes. Following a comprehensive study, the Chennai Metro Rail Company proposed the purchase to the Tamil Nadu government, which approved it last August.
The procurement of these 28 trains is intended to meet the projected passenger demand by 2028. Funding for this project is expected from international financial institutions.
With NITI Aayog`s approval, the proposal will now be forwarded to the Central Department of Economic Affairs and the Finance Department for further recommendations and loan assistance from international banks. The manufacturing and delivery of these metro trains are anticipated to take up to two years.
