First driverless train for Mumbai Metro Lines 4 & 4A ready – unveiled by Alstom at Sri City

1 November 2026 · English Infrastructure & Energy

Topics: Weather, States, Archaeology & Infrastructure · 1 November 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

French firm Alstom unveiled, at its Sri City plant in Andhra Pradesh on 14 Oct 2026, the first of 39 driverless 'Metropolis' trains for Mumbai Metro Line 4 (Wadala – Kasarvadavali, Thane) and Line 4A (Kasarvadavali – Gaimukh). Each train has 6 cars; design – Bengaluru; propulsion system – Coimbatore; bogies – Savli (Gujarat). Design speed 90 km/h, operating speed 80 km/h. It is the first Alstom train in India with bicycle racks. It will be dispatched by end-November and reach Mumbai in December 2026; passenger service only after testing and safety certification.

Key facts

Line 4	Wadala – Ghatkopar – Thane – Kasarvadavali; 32.32 km, 30 elevated stations ('Green Line')
Line 4A	Kasarvadavali – Gaimukh (about 2.7 km, 2 stations)
Trains	39 Alstom 'Metropolis' trains; 6 cars each; driverless running via CBTC signalling
Supply chain	Design – Bengaluru; build – Sri City (AP); propulsion – Coimbatore; bogies – Savli
Speed	Design 90 km/h; operating 80 km/h
Agency	Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA); Maharashtra marks 2027 as 'Metro Year' with a 70 km new-line target

Background

Grades of Automation (IEC 62290): GoA0 – on-sight running; GoA1 – driver plus Automatic Train Protection (ATP); GoA2 – semi-automatic (STO), driver handles doors and departure; GoA3 – driverless (DTO), an attendant on board; GoA4 – fully unattended operation (UTO), no staff on board.
CBTC (Communication-Based Train Control) – a 'moving block' signalling system that tracks each train by continuous radio link with the control centre, allowing shorter gaps between trains; it is the basis of driverless running.
India's first driverless metro operation: Delhi Metro Magenta Line (Janakpuri West – Botanical Garden), launched by PM Narendra Modi on 28 Dec 2020. In Mumbai, BEML supplied driverless-capable cars for Lines 2A and 7 in 2021 (they run with drivers).
Alstom – a French rolling-stock maker; its Indian plants include Sri City (Tirupati district, AP), Savli (near Vadodara, Gujarat) and Coimbatore.

Tamil Nadu link: the propulsion system of the Mumbai trains was made in Coimbatore. For Chennai Metro Phase II too, Alstom is building 36 three-car 'Metropolis' trains at Sri City, designed to GoA4 (unattended) standard; passenger service with these trains has begun on the opened Poonamallee-side section of Corridor 4 (Poonamallee Bypass – Lighthouse).

Source: Time Out Mumbai, Indian Infrastructure, Construction World, Mumbai Live, 16–21 Oct 2026; Alstom press release (8 Feb 2024)

Join our UPSC classroom or online batch: UPSC coaching in Coimbatore · Fees · Call 99941 46662.

📝 Test yourself on this day's news – free quiz

Quiz – 1 November 2026 (Part 1: Q 1–54) Quiz – 1 November 2026 (Part 2: Q 55–107) Quiz – 1 November 2026 (Part 3: Q 108–160) Quiz – 1 November 2026 (Part 4: Q 161–170)

📘 Study this subject fully

SSC CGL 2026 – Indian Economy (Tier I + Tier II) – ₹149