- By Soumyaroop Mukherjee
- Mon, 01 Dec 2025 02:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a bid to decongest the metro lines, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) is set to add 28 six-car trainsets to its fleet by the end of 2028 to address overcrowding and reduce waiting times on its main corridors- the blue line (Airport to Wimco Nagar) and green line (Chennai Central to St Thomas Mount).
Each of these six car trainsets will be able to carry up to 1,800 passengers, 600 more passengers. Currently, the metro trainsets are capable of carrying approximately 1,200 commuters in each trip. The increase in the number of trainsets is also expected to cut the waiting times to four minutes.
Solution For Rising Ridership
Earlier, CMRL had reported that the monthly ridership had exceeded a crore, with the average footfall touching around 90 lakh passengers. The rising ridership had stretched the metro services in the city. With the rise in the number of trainsets, the overstretched service will finally get a respite.
Chennai Metro is rapidly progressing with Phase I nearing extension and Phase II underway, which is also set to add to the rising ridership. All existing stations on the network are ready to handle longer trains. Necessary upgrades, including platform screen doors at underground stations, are planned to be carried out without affecting daily operations.
Where Will The New Trainsets Be Produced?
All the new trainsets will be manufactured indigenously in line with the country's push towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. This will give a major boost to the local expenditure up to 60 per cent, said a CMRL official. The new trainsets will also feature the advanced automation technology (GoA4), which will allow driverless operations in the future. These features will, however will not be tested immediately.
Services On Poonamallee–Porur Stretch To Begin Soon
In a separate development, the much-awaited Poonamallee-Porur stretch on Corridor 4 is likely to begin by the end of December. Earlier in September, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) stated that the corridor will significantly boost the regional connectivity. The authority has reportedly done all the preparations and is likely to make the official announcement in the upcoming weeks.
While providing details, the authority had stated that the services are expected to begin by the end of December, adding that the operation on the 8-km metro line will reduce congestion from the key regions of Chennai. It further stated that the corridor will have a total of 10 stations, adding that the further expansion projects will be announced in the upcoming months.