CMRL Selects Consultant to Manage Procurement of 28 Six-Coach Metro Trains

Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has selected a joint venture of AECOM India and Nippon Koei as the project management consultant to oversee the procurement of 28 six-coach trains and station infrastructure upgrades. The initiative aims to ease peak-hour congestion on the existing Phase 1 network, which connects key areas across Chennai, including Wimco Nagar, Chennai Airport, Chennai Central, St. Thomas Mount, Washermanpet, and Alandur.

The joint venture, which emerged as the lowest bidder, will facilitate the train procurement and delivery process. The consultant will also oversee the enhancement of Phase 1 stations to accommodate the longer trains. The contract for the chosen consultant is expected to be awarded shortly.

The move comes in response to growing commuter demand for improved train frequency during peak hours. Although the current daily patronage of 3.2 lakh passengers—recorded in June—is lower than the projected ridership of 7.75 lakh, trains currently run packed during office hours. Officials also expect peak-hour congestion to worsen once the upcoming 118.9-kilometre Phase 2 network opens to the public.

To address these capacity issues, CMRL plans to upgrade its fleet from the existing four-coach trains to six-coach models. Bids for the train procurement have already been floated and are scheduled to open next month. Because the delivery of the new trains is expected to take two years, CMRL prioritized hiring the project management consultant first.

The physical work to modify the Phase 1 stations to fit the longer six-coach trains will be taken up at a later stage.

Currently, the Chennai Metro operates two corridors covering a total of 54 kilometres. Trains run every three minutes from Washermanpet to Alandur, and every six minutes from Wimco Nagar to Chennai Airport. Services operate every 12 minutes on the routes from Chennai Central to Chennai Airport, and from Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount.