First rake for Metro-2A, 7 unveiled, to reach Mumbai by January-end

The first rake for Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E) was unveiled at the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) manufacturing unit in Bengaluru on Friday

The first rake for Metro-2A (Dahisar-DN Nagar) and Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E) was unveiled at the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) manufacturing unit in Bengaluru on Friday. The six-coach train can also function as a driverless Metro, an option which authorities say will be explored six months to a year post operations.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Maharashtra state CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated of the first coach for Mumbai Metro built under the 'Make in India' program, and three Metro lines, on September 7, 2019. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

The train is expected to leave the unit on January 23 and reach Mumbai’s Charkop depot by January 27-28, officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed. While it was unveiled in Bengaluru by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, MMRDA will organise an event in Mumbai on January 29, which is expected to be attended by Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray.

RA Rajeev, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said, “Ten trains are ready at the manufacturing depot in BEML. The first train will reach Mumbai by road on January 27-28, post which some minor works will be undertaken at the depot itself.” MMRDA is looking at initiating trial runs for Metro-2A and Metro-7 by March, post which operations are expected to start from May.

The first mock train for the Mumbai Metro lines was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2019. MMRDA had placed an order for 378 coaches at ₹3,015 crore in November 2018. The authority then placed an order for 12 more trains of six coaches each for line 2B (DN Nagar-Mankhurd), 7A and 9 (Dahisar-Mira Bhayander and Andheri to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport).