Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) has entered into a strategic partnership with ABB India Ltd to develop advanced propulsion systems and enable technology transfer for 25 kV driverless metro applications in India.
Under the agreement announced on January 27, ABB India will provide end-to-end support across the full lifecycle of high-voltage metro propulsion systems. This includes system design, manufacturing support, supply, testing, installation supervision and commissioning. A major element of the collaboration is the transfer of technology for the Train Control and Monitoring System (TCMS), which serves as the digital backbone of modern metro rolling stock.
The TCMS developed under the partnership will initially support Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2) operations and will be scalable to Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4), enabling fully driverless metro services. This upgradeability aligns with the increasing adoption of automated and unattended train operations across Indian metro networks.
The agreement also предусматривает a phased transfer of manufacturing and co-production of traction converters and traction motors for metro projects awarded by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Titagarh has already secured an order for the supply of 240 metro coaches, comprising 132 cars for Mumbai Metro Line 5 and 108 cars for Line 6, along with five years of maintenance following a two-year Defect Liability Period.
This partnership further strengthens Titagarh’s alignment with the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. In 2023, the company had acquired TCMS technology for 750 V metro systems through an earlier collaboration with ABB. The new agreement completes Titagarh’s TCMS capability across the full spectrum of traction voltages used in Indian metro systems.
To support indigenous development, Titagarh has invested in building in-house expertise, including the establishment of a dedicated TCMS laboratory at its Bengaluru design centre. Already manufacturing traction motors for locomotives and electric multiple units, the company will now progressively co-produce metro-specific propulsion systems, a segment requiring high precision, reliability and advanced engineering.
Propulsion systems, including TCMS, play a critical role in controlling, monitoring and optimising train performance, safety and energy efficiency, making the partnership a significant step towards self-reliance in advanced metro technologies.
