Maha Metro to appoint Rolling Stock Consultant for Thane Metro and Pune Metro Line 4

Nagpur, India (Metro Rail Today): Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) has invited bids for the engagement of a consultancy firm to undertake design review and interface validation for rolling stock and key systems for the upcoming Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project (TIRMRP) and Pune Metro Line 4.

The tender, issued under Tender No. T1-025/RS-022026 dated February 12, 2026, seeks technical consultancy support to ensure smooth implementation of advanced metro systems that will operate under Unattended Train Operation (UTO) mode. The selected consultant will support Maha-Metro in reviewing system design and validating interface compatibility across rolling stock and critical metro systems.

According to the tender notice, the consultancy assignment will run for a period of four years from the date of issue of the Letter of Acceptance (LoA).

Interested bidders can download the tender documents from the Maha-Metro e-tender portal between February 12 and March 27, 2026, while online bid submissions will be accepted from March 20 to March 27, 2026. The technical bids are scheduled to be opened on March 30, 2026.

The tender requires an Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) of ₹10.31 lakh, to be submitted in the form of an irrevocable bank guarantee. Micro and Small Enterprises registered under MSME categories are exempted from submitting the EMD, provided they submit valid registration certificates and a bid-securing declaration.

The consultancy contract is linked to two major metro initiatives being executed by Maha-Metro.

The Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project is a 29-kilometre greenfield metro corridor with 22 stations, designed as a loop connecting major areas including Thane Junction, Wagle Estate, Manpada, Waghbil, Balkum Naka, and Rabodi. While most of the alignment will be elevated, approximately 3 km with two stations will be underground. The ring corridor will also provide interchange connectivity with Mumbai Metro Lines 4 and 5 at three locations.

Meanwhile, Pune Metro Line 4 is a proposed 31.6-kilometre corridor connecting Kharadi to Khadakwasla, including a 6.1-kilometre spur line linking Manik Baug to Nalstop. The line will pass through key urban zones such as Hadapsar, Magarpatta, Swargate, Hingne Chowk, and Warje, strengthening metro connectivity across Pune’s dense residential and commercial districts. The corridor will integrate with Pune Metro Line 2 at Nalstop and Kharadi.

Both corridors are planned to operate using driverless Unattended Train Operation technology, making system design validation and interface coordination a critical component of project execution.

The consultancy assignment will focus on reviewing system integration aspects related to rolling stock, signalling, communications, and other metro subsystems, ensuring compatibility for safe and efficient driverless operations.

Maha-Metro said the consultant will assist in tendering processes for system contracts while ensuring technical alignment with the requirements of automated metro operations.

Commenting on the development, Mrs. Mamta Shah, MD & CEO, Urban Infra Group, said that the adoption of advanced automation technologies in new metro corridors reflects the next phase of India’s urban transit evolution.

“Driverless metro systems represent the future of urban mobility. Projects like the Thane Integral Ring Metro and Pune Metro Line 4 demonstrate how Indian cities are embracing automation, digital integration and advanced system engineering to deliver safer, more efficient and high-capacity transport networks,” she said.

She added that robust design validation and system interface management are essential for ensuring reliability in UTO-based metro operations, especially in complex urban environments.