India’s lightest metro trainset for Pune unveiled in Italy

NEW DELHI: The lightest trainset and Pune’s first metro was unveiled in Italy on Monday, July 3. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that the train will be delivered to India by December this year. It is being manufactured by Titagarh Wagons Ltd, a company based out of Titagarh in West Bengal. They conducted a virtual ceremony to showcase their first train manufactured for Pune metro.

About event – The ceremony was attended by Neena Malhotra, Ambassador of India to Italy; Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India; and Brijesh Dixit, Managing Director, Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (Maha Metro), among others. The subsidiary of the company in Europe named Titagarh Firema, was awarded the contract for design, manufacture and supply of 34 trains of three coaches each to Maha Metro on September 12, 2019.

About the metro – The company was able to design and finalise the work to manufacture a new train even after the severe challenges of COVID-19 pandemic within 22 months. The ultra-modern coaches of the train contain the highest safety standards with modern Italian styling and are lightweight with an aluminium body. This feature results in low carbon emissions and better fuel efficiency and the train also offers the highest safety and convenience features.

The Rs 11,420 crore Pune Metro Project is being executed jointly by the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited and the Government of Maharashtra as 50:50 stakeholders.