Chinese firm to supply coaches for Kolkata Metro

A Chinese rail equipment major will supply 112 coaches of 14 trains for the Kolkata Metro, India's oldest underground train service, according to sources.

CRRC Corp. announced through its official Weibo account -- China's biggest Twitter-like social media platform -- on June 8 that it has acquired its first overseas deal from India's railway ministry.

Confirming the development, a Kolkata Metro spokesman said: "We have learnt that the coaches will be supplied by CRRC. But we have not got any more details from the railway board."

Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock Company, a subsidiary company of CRRC, received the contract from India's railway ministry, People's Daily reported.

With a maximum capacity of up to 2,500 people and a maximum speed of 80 km per hour, the first subway train will be delivered in the beginning of 2017.

Kolkata, the third-biggest city in India, will replace trains that have been running for over 30 years in its south-north 23.45-km subway line in order to ease transportation pressure.

Kolkata Metro started its journey on October 24, 1984, and now carries an average of 5.77 lakh passengers on weekdays over a length of 25.13 km spread in the busy north-south axis of the city. On October 9, 2013, it carried a record 8.62 lakh passengers.

The CRRC Corp's announcement has come ahead of West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra led business delegation's trip to the third China South Asia Business Forum and Expo to be held from June 11 to 16 at Kunming, China to showcase the eastern Indian state as investment friendly.