New Delhi [India]: The first Metro train, consisting of six coaches, procured by Delhi Metro for its Phase-4 operations, arrived in Delhi today (Friday), marking a significant milestone in the completion and operationalisation of the priority corridors of Delhi Metro Phase-4, according to an official release.
The train set was inaugurated on September 23 earlier this year in the presence of DMRC and Alstom delegates, following the completion of the manufacturing of all six cars at Alstom’s Rolling Stock facility in Sricity near Chennai. The train has been stationed at Delhi Metro’s Mukundpur depot, where it will undergo a series of tests required for statutory certification for revenue service, in accordance with established rules and protocols.
As part of the RS-17 contract, DMRC will receive a total of 312 Metro coaches (52 trains) for its Phase-4 priority corridors, including Majlis Park to Maujpur, Janakpuri West to R K Ashram Marg, and Tughlakabad to Delhi Aerocity. The delivery of the trains will occur in phases in the coming months, the release added.
Of the 312 coaches, 234 will be allocated for the extended sections of Line-7 (Pink Line) and Line-8 (Magenta Line), covering the Majlis Park to Maujpur and Janakpuri West to R K Ashram Marg routes. The remaining 78 coaches will serve the Tughlakabad to Delhi Aerocity corridor.
All these trains are equipped for driverless operations, aligning with Delhi Metro’s commitment to offering world-class services to commuters. The initiative also supports the Government of India’s Make in India programme. These locally manufactured trains are designed for a maximum safe speed of 95 km/h and an operational speed of 85 km/h, featuring GOA 4 driverless capabilities.
The Janakpuri West-R K Ashram Marg extension of the Magenta Line will receive 144 new coaches (24 trains), while the Mukundpur-Maujpur extension of the Pink Line will be allocated 90 new coaches (15 trains). Additionally, the new Golden Line corridor from Aerocity to Tughlakabad will be equipped with 78 new coaches (13 trains).
As part of its Phase-4 expansion, DMRC is constructing 86 kilometres of new lines across five different corridors in the national capital. While three corridors–Janakpuri West-R K Ashram Marg, Majlis Park-Maujpur, and Aerocity-Tughlakabad–are under construction, the remaining two corridors, Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block and Indraprastha-Inderlok, are in the pre-tendering stage.
According to the government release, Delhi Metro currently operates a network spanning 391 kilometres, with 286 Metro stations (including the NOIDA-Greater NOIDA corridor and the Rapid Metro, Gurugram). The fleet consists of approximately 350 Metro trains with four, six, and eight-coach configurations operating on both broad-gauge and standard-gauge tracks.
Delhi Metro trains are among the most advanced metro systems worldwide, serving the mass urban transit sector. India’s first-ever driverless operations began on the Delhi Metro network’s Magenta Line in December 2020, followed by the Pink Line in November 2021, the release stated.