Delhi Metro completes 23 glorious years in public transport service in Delhi-NCR

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): The Delhi Metro today completed 23 years of operations, marking more than two decades of transforming urban mobility in the National Capital Region. On this day in December 2002, the first-ever Delhi Metro train — TS#01 — began service, laying the foundation for India’s most successful and widely replicated mass rapid transit system.

Even today, TS#01 continues to operate as part of the active fleet, carrying thousands of passengers daily, symbolising the reliability, engineering strength and maintenance excellence of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

From four cars to eight — a journey of constant upgradation

When first introduced, TS#01 consisted of four coaches. With rising passenger demand, the train was upgraded to:

• six coaches in 2014

• eight coaches in 2023

The train has remained in continuous revenue service since 2002 and has:

• run over 2.9 million kilometres

• carried more than 60 million passengers

• completed around 2.4 million door operations

Built in South Korea, shipped to India, and rolled into history

TS#01 was manufactured by the MRM Consortium, South Korea. It was transported by sea to Kolkata, and later moved to Delhi by Indian Railways.

The initial cost of the four-coach train was approximately ₹24 crore.

Energy-efficient and future-ready technology

The train is equipped with an advanced propulsion system that enables regenerative braking, capable of recovering up to 40% of power consumed, significantly reducing carbon emissions and supporting Delhi Metro’s green credentials.

Robust maintenance ensured exceptional reliability

TS#01 has undergone two major overhauls by DMRC’s maintenance teams and continues to perform far beyond contractual benchmarks. It has achieved an impressive MDBF (Mean Distance Between Failures) of:

• 85,000 kilometres,

• compared to the minimum contractual requirement of 40,000 kilometres

This reflects strong preventive maintenance practices and asset lifecycle management by DMRC.

Major mid-life upgrades completed in 2024

The train underwent mid-life rehabilitation in 2024, receiving several modern systems, including:

• IP-based Passenger Announcement & Information System (PAPIS)

• CCTV cameras for enhanced passenger security

• integrated passenger emergency alarms

• LCD dynamic route maps and information boards

• door refurbishment to improve reliability

• fire detection system

• relay panel refurbishment

• mobile/laptop charging outlets

• refurbished interiors and cab exteriors

These upgrades ensure that even the first train of the Delhi Metro remains aligned with global technology standards.

Mrs. Mamta Shah, MD & CEO, Urban Infra Group, said: “TS#01 is not just a train; it is the symbol of India’s urban mobility revolution. Delhi Metro set national benchmarks for reliability, punctuality and commuter comfort, inspiring dozens of metro systems across India. Completing 23 years of service while remaining technologically relevant is a remarkable achievement in asset management and public transport engineering.”

As the Delhi Metro celebrates 23 years of safe, reliable and comfortable operations, TS#01 continues its proud journey — a living reminder of how a single train helped reshape public transport culture in India.