In a significant move to enhance suburban public transport, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has approved the procurement of 57 new metro trains to cater to upcoming metro corridors. This decision aims to accelerate progress on key routes and ensure timely availability of rolling stock.
As per the approved plan, 39 trains will be procured for Metro Line 4 (Wadala–Thane–Kasarvadavali–Gaimukh) and its extension, Metro 4A, while 18 trains will be acquired for Metro Line 6 (Swami Samarth Nagar–Vikhroli).
Engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has been awarded the contract for the 39 trains on Metro 4 and 4A, with an estimated project cost of ₹4,788 crore. Meanwhile, NCC Ltd. has been entrusted with the procurement of 18 trains for Metro Line 6. This marks the first time both companies will be involved in metro coach production.
Work on these metro lines is progressing rapidly. The first phase of Metro 4, spanning 10.5 km from Cadbury Junction to Gaimukh, is expected to undergo trial runs in August 2025, with commercial services targeted to begin by the end of the year. Similarly, efforts are being expedited on Metro Line 6 to enable early commissioning.
The proposal to purchase these metro trains was cleared during the recent MMRDA Executive Committee meeting, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure will be in place for smooth operations once construction is completed.
Over the years, various global and domestic companies have been involved in manufacturing metro coaches for Mumbai’s growing metro network:
Line 1 (Versova–Ghatkopar): Coaches were manufactured by Hyundai Rotem (South Korea) and delivered between 2010 and 2013.
Lines 2A (Dahisar–DN Nagar) and 7 (Dahisar–Andheri East): These were produced under the ‘Make in India’ initiative by Alstom Transport India at its Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu. The contract was worth approximately ₹1,854 crore.
Line 3 (Colaba–Bandra–SEEPZ): For this fully underground line, coaches are being jointly designed and built by BEML Ltd. and Alstom at their facility in Sricity, Andhra Pradesh. These coaches will be state-of-the-art, fully air-conditioned, and noise-minimized for a superior travel experience.
The addition of these new trains is expected to greatly enhance the metro network’s capacity and convenience, offering faster, smoother, and more reliable travel across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. With the suburban population heavily reliant on public transport, MMRDA’s decision is seen as a timely and crucial step toward a smarter, more connected Mumbai.