Alstom Cancels Mumbai Metro Line-4’s 234 Coach Contract

It’s now confirmed that Alstom Transport India has terminated its contract to design and supply 234 metro coaches for Mumbai Metro’s under construction 35.2 km Line-4 & 4A (Green Line) due to uncertainty over the line’s depot whose location hasn’t been finalized.

I first got wind of this from a follower in mid-February, and this development has been confirmed by an Alstom representative to Money Control:

Following signing of Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for Rolling Stock of Mumbai Line 4 in March 2021, there have been overall challenges in progressing with project execution due to delays on various fronts, including civil work. Alstom engaged with relevant stakeholders to find a possible resolution. After exhausting all avenues, the decision has been taken not to proceed with this contract.

Bombardier Transportation originally emerged as the lowest bidder for MMRDA’s Rolling Stock Package MRS2 in January 2021. The firm was acquired by Alstom with whom the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) signed a Rs 1853.28 crore contract in March 2021.

The line in eastern Mumbai aims to connect Wadala – Kasaravadavali – Gaimukh through 34 stations, and there’s been a noticeable slow-down in construction throughout its route primarily on civil packages owned by Reliance – Astaldi JV.

The line’s depot was planned on a 41 hectare land parcel at Mogharpada and its construction tender was cancelled in May 2021. Without a depot or a pre-organized storage facility funded by MMRDA, Alstom wouldn’t have been able to store these coaches – an issue currently being faced by them for Mumbai Metro Line-3’s rolling stock.

Alstom never revealed their train-set’s design which were going to be operated in 6 coach formations and be capable of “driverless” Unattended Train Operations (UTO) – see technical specifications here.

While this is a disappointing development, it’s totally understandable from a business perspective. What’s more disappointing to see all those gains made between 2014-2019 slowly getting eroded away due to decisions by the state government’s machinery.

Like all other metro lines in the city, there’s no indication of Line-4’s depot being finalized anytime soon, so we’re more than a year away from seeing its rolling stock re-tender getting published again. MMRDA can choose to launch it at anytime prior, but I doubt they’d see any participation.

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– TMRG