3 Bidders for Chennai Metro Phase 2’s 78 Coach Contract

Alstom Transport, BEML and Titagarh Wagons have again submitted bids to supply 78 coaches for Chennai Metro Line-4’s Rolling Stock package after Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) today opened technical bids.

26 3-car trains on this line of the 118.9 km Phase 2 project will service Poonamallee Bypass – Light House through 28 (18 elevated & 10 underground) stations, and be stabled & maintained at Poonamallee Depot in western Chennai.

CMRL originally invited tenders for this rolling stock package in December 2020 with an unknown estimate and contract duration of 1340 days + 730 days (Defect Notification Period). After receiving 3 bids in September, the tendering process was abruptly cancelled in November due to “administrative reasons”, and bids were re-invited.

Package: Phase – II / ARE03A

Brief Scope: Design, manufacture, supply, testing, commissioning of standard gauge metro rolling stock (electrical multiple units) and training of personnel for Chennai Metro Project Phase II

CMRL plans to run these trains in a DMC + TC + DMC configuration with the ability to operate at Grade of Automation level-4 for “driverless” Unattended Train Operations (UTO).

The 3 bids have now been sent for technical evaluation which can take a couple months to complete. When that is done, the financial bids of the technically qualified bidders will be opened to reveal who’s the lowest bidder and most likely supplier.

For Phase 2’s 3 corridors, CMRL in the past has revealed they are looking procure 288 coaches and wet-lease 126 coaches to run services. Here’s a status table for all 3 rolling stock packages:

A list of all Chennai Metro Phase 2 tenders (civil, systems) and their status can be viewed here.

For more updates, check out the Chennai section of The Metro Rail Guy!

– TMRG