Titagargh Rail Systems Enters the Driverless Metro Segment
With the handing over of its first driverless trainset to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), Titagarh Rail Systems has entered the driverless metro train manufacturing segment. Other major players which are manufacturing driverless metro coaches in India include Alstom and BEML.
Titagarh’s Made-in-India Driverless Metro Contract for Bengaluru Metro
Driverless metro trainset supplied to BMRCL has been manufactured by Titagarh Rail Systems in its Uttarpara factory, situated in West Bengal. The company will supply 34 such metro trainsets to BMRCL.
Titagarh is expected to deliver two more driverless trainsets to BMRCL by April 2025. September 2025 onwards, Titagarh is expected to deliver two such driverless trainsets each month to BMRCL.
These driverless trainsets feature Stainless Steel body, for which a dedicated Stainless Steel Line has been set up at Titagarh’s Uttarpara plant. As for the driverless technology, Titagarh had signed an agreement with ABB to procure propulsion systems for driverless metro trainsets. ABB’s propulsion system includes traction and auxillary converters, traction motors and Train Control and Management System (TCMS) software.
Driverless Trainsets to Operate by GOA4 Mode
Driverless trainsets supplied by Titagarh will be compliant with GOA4 automation level. GOA4 automation in metro trains implies that they are capable of running fully unattended.
GOA4 relies primarily on three systems working in tandem, namely Automatic Train Protection (ATP) for safety, Automatic Train Operation (ATO) and Automatic Train Control (ATC) for route setting and scheduling.
Currently, Titagarh’s driverless metro trainsets utilise ABB’s GOA4 technology. Titagarh Rail Systems’ MD, Mr. Umesh Chowdhary, had said at the time of this technology transfer that it would be instrumental in the development of the company’s own GOA4 technology.
Titagarh’s Stock Gains 3% Post Announcement
Post announcement of this driverless trainset delivery to BMRCL, Titagarh Rail Systems’ stock gained 3.02%. On the day the company filed this information to the stocks, Titagarh’s share price stood at Rs. 1,087.95 apiece, which rose to Rs.1,120.85 apiece on the next trading day.
Other Major Players Manufacturing Driverless Metro Trains in India
With the above mentioned order, Titagarh has been included amongst a handful of rolling stock manufacturers who manufacture driverless metro trains in India.
BEML – First Driverless Metro Trainset Manufacturer in India
The earliest Indian player which entered the driverless metro segment was Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML), which started manufacturing driverless metro trainsets at its Bengaluru factory with assistance from Hyundai Rotem. BEML’s Bengaluru factory rolled out driverless metro trainsets for the Delhi Metro, which began driverless operations in December 2020.
It was in 2021 that BEML manufactured India’s first fully indigenous driverless metro trainset from its Bengaluru plant for the Mumbai Metro.
Since then, BEML has received orders to manufacture driverless metro trainsets for Chennai Metro and Bengaluru Metro.
Alstom’s Driverless Metro Trainsets Manufactured in Andhra’s Sri City
Alstom has also begun producing its 100% made-in-India ‘Metropolis’ driverless metro trainsets, which are designed in Bengaluru and manufactured in its Sri City factory located in Andhra Pradesh. In September 2024, Alstom started handing over its made-in-India trainsets to Delhi Metro, and in October 2024, the company started delivering made-in-India driverless metro trainsets for Chennai Metro.
About Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd.: Headquartered in Kolkata, Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd. is a manufacturer of rolling stock which for passenger as well as freight movement. The company has manufacturing facilities in India and Italy. For FY-24, the company reported a revenue of Rs. 3,853.30 crore from its operations.
