After a long delay, Chennai Metro Rail has floated bids to purchase 28 six-coach trains for the 54 km phase I and phase I extension network to cater to growing passenger traffic. The six coach train will be able to carry nearly 1,500 passengers per trip, while the existing trains have a capacity to transport about 1,000 passengers.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), these trains to be bought at an estimated cost of ₹2,036 crore will be equipped with dynamic route map with LED-backlit LCD screen with mobile charging points. “It would take a minimum of 4-5 months to award the contract for this project. The manufacturer will be given two years to start delivering the trains,” an official said. These additional trains will arrive only by 2028, officials said.
Chennai Metro Rail system sees nearly 3 lakh to 3.4 lakh passengers daily and there exists a rising requirement for improving frequencies due to the crowding of trains in the peak hours.
In both corridors of the phase I network and the phase I extension network, Chennai Metro Rail maintains a frequency of six minutes in the peak hours.
As trains run packed during the office hours, commuters have been demanding that frequency be improved to 2.5 minutes or 3 minutes. However, this would be possible only if extra coaches are available.
In August 2023, the Tamil Nadu government gave its nod to purchase 28 additional trains. But this project has been marred by delays due to the time taken to finalise the source of funding for buying the trains.
Initially, CMRL took efforts to seek funding from a multilateral bank and got the approval from the Centre in August 2024. But CMRL was unable to sign an agreement with the bank due to lack of consensus on some aspects. Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu government decided to seek domestic funding for this project.
Sources said it took time to float this tender since they were waiting for a Government Order to be issued to seek domestic funding. Now that the G.O. has been released, the CMRL has decided to call for bids, they add.
Published – November 23, 2025 01:17 am IST
