INDIA: Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has named Bombardier Transportation as low bidder to supply rolling stock for Mumbai Metro Line 4.
The 32·3 km Green Line will run from Wadala near Mumbai Harbour through Thane to Kasaravadavali; construction of the elevated guideway is around 25% complete, according to MMRDA. Work began in June 2020 on the 2·9 km Line 4A northern extension from Kasarvadavali to Gaimukh.
The 1 435 mm gauge line has been designed for driverless operation to GoA4, although it is initially expected to open using attended ATO under GoA2.
A €525m loan from Germany’s KfW to fund the procurement of rolling stock, signalling and platform screen doors was formally agreed in November 2020.
MMRDA had invited bids in December 2019 for a fleet of 39 six-car trains, at an estimated cost of Rs18·6bn. Three firms were shortlisted after the technical bids were opened in May 2020: BEML, Bombardier Transportation and CRRC. According to local reports, CRRC was subsequently disqualified during the technical evaluation. Financial offers were opened on January 16, with Bombardier bidding Rs18·5bn and BEML Rs19·5bn
Some trains may initially be supplied as three-car sets formed of two driving motor cars and an intermediate trailer, later being extended with the addition of two non-driving motor cars and another trailer vehicle. A maximum weight of 126 tonnes has been specified for a three-car set, with a static axleload not exceeding 17 tonnes. The driving vehicles would be 23 m long and the intermediate cars 22 m, giving an overall length of 136 m for a six-car train, and a maximum width of 3 200 mm. Operating speed in service will be 90 km/h.
According to Bombardier Transportation’s Vice-President, India & Asia, Alagesan Thasari, the trains will be designed at the company’s Hyderabad Global Engineering & Technology Centre. Production is expected to take place at the company’s Savli plant in Gujarat.
However, given the plant’s current heavy workload local sources have suggested that some work could be transferred to Alstom’s plant in Sri City following the latter’s acquisition of Bombardier Transportation.
Bombardier has recently won contracts to supply 210 EMU cars for the Delhi – Meerut RRTS commuter rail line and 67 three-car trains for the Agra and Kanpur metros. BEML is building 84 six-car trains for Mumbai Metro lines 2 and 7 at its Bangalore plant, under contracts awarded in November 2018 and August 2019.
