BEML Awarded Chennai Metro Phase 2’s 210 Coach Contract ARE02A

BEML Ltd. today announced it was awarded an approximately Rs. 3658 crore contract to supply 210 coaches for the 116.1 km Chennai Metro’s Phase 2 project by Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL).

If you’ve been following my site then this news shouldn’t come as a surprise as BEML was declared the lowest bidder, beating Titagarh Rail Systems, for rolling stock Package ARE02A in September 2024.

CMRL plans to operate these 70 standard gauge train-sets of 3 cars (configuration: DMC + TC + DMC) on Phase 2’s 45.4 km Line-3 (Madhavaram – Siruseri SIPCOT) and 44.6 km Line-5 (Madhavaram – Sholinganallur).

It took a while for CMRL to arrive at this stage. They had received no bids in the first round of bidding between July 2021 – May 2022 and cancelled the tendering process in June 2022. The official reason for no participation never surfaced, but I suspect it was due to the STEP loan requirements laid out by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which requires a significant percentage of Japanese content to be utilized.

CMRL had re-invited bids in July 2023, and technical bids were opened in May 2024 to reveal BEML and Titagarh Rail Systems had bid for its 21.84 year long contract which includes 15 years of comprehensive maintenance.

Financial bids of both firms were opened on September 18 to reveal BEML was the lowest bidder for the contract.

CMRL’s Brief Scope: Design, Manufacture, Supply, Testing, Commissioning, Training of Personnel and Comrehensive Maintenance Contract for Fifteen (15) years of Standard Gauge Metro Rolling Stock (Electric Multiple Units) and Depot Machinery and Plant

Chennai’s new trains will be required to conform to Grade of Automation-4 (GoA4) standards for “driverless” operations. BEML hasn’t announced their delivery schedule, but looking at their current orderbook comprising of trains for Mumbai Metro (576 coaches) and Bangalore Metro (318 coaches), I suspect the first train will only roll out in Q1 2027.

With this development, CMRL has awarded 2 of 3 rolling stock contracts planned for the Phase 2 project.

Back in September, Alstom Transport rolled out their first of 36 trains for 26 km Line-4 connecting Light House – Poonamallee Bypass. Production of those train-sets as part of Package ARE03 had formally started at Sri City in February 2024.

Bidding is currently underway for Line-3 and Line-5’s second rolling stock contract comprising of 96 coaches under Package ARE04A since February 2024. CMRL had switched its model from lease to procurement after receiving a lackluster response. Its technical bid opening date keeps getting pushed out and is currently set for December 20, so stay tuned!

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 or my Home Page! Sign up for free instant email notifications on new posts over here. Like this post? Get early-access to updates and support the site over here.

– TMRG