Hyderabad
oi-Ashish Rana
Metro passengers in Hyderabad may soon see less crowding during office rush hours as the Telangana government has decided to procure around 60 new metro coaches for the city’s expanding transport network. The move comes amid increasing pressure on existing services, especially on some of the busiest metro corridors.
The Telangana government is set to procure around 60 new metro coaches from BEML for Hyderabad Metro Rail to reduce crowding, with delivery expected within 15 months, using technology shared by Hyundai Rotem.
The state government is currently in talks with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for the supply of the additional coaches. Officials said the Bengaluru-based company has assured the government that the delivery process can be completed within 15 months from the date the order is placed.
Govt Nears Deal With BEML For New Metro Coaches
An agreement between Hyderabad Metro Rail and BEML is expected to be finalised this week, according to officials familiar with the discussions. The proposed purchase is aimed at improving passenger movement on heavily crowded routes where commuters often struggle to board trains during peak timings.
At present, Hyderabad Metro operates 56 trains across the city’s three corridors. Each train currently runs with three coaches. However, the existing capacity on the Nagole-Raidurg and LB Nagar-Miyapur corridors has reportedly become insufficient due to rising passenger demand.
Earlier, authorities had explored the possibility of leasing metro coaches from Nagpur to temporarily manage the rush. However, that proposal did not move forward. Though the government had initially planned to place fresh orders this year, technical issues delayed the procurement process.
Metro Takeover By Govt Removes Procurement Delays
Officials said hurdles related to the purchase process were cleared after the Hyderabad Metro Rail project came under government control. Preparations to place the official order with BEML are now said to be in the final stage.
The expansion is expected to significantly improve passenger handling capacity across the city’s metro network once the new coaches are added to operations.
Hyundai Rotem To Share Technology With BEML
In 2015, Hyderabad Metro procured its existing metro coaches from South Korean company Hyundai Rotem at a cost of ₹1,800 crore. Each metro train currently has three coaches and can accommodate nearly 965 passengers at a time.
Officials stated that the coaches were originally designed to support driverless technology, making Hyderabad one of the first metro systems in the country to introduce such advanced features.
They further said Hyundai Rotem has now agreed to share its technology with BEML for the manufacturing of the new coaches. BEML already produces metro coaches for several Indian cities and is expected to use the shared technology for Hyderabad’s upcoming fleet expansion.
