India’s First Indigenously Designed & Developed Driverless Metro Car Unveiled| BEML Bengaluru

Raksha Mantri  Shri Rajnath Singh,  unveiled state-of-the-art ‘Driverless Metro Car’ for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at a function held at BEML’s Bangalore Complex on 15 January 2021. Indigenously designed & developed state-of-the-art Driverless Metro trains are being manufactured at BEML Bangaluru Complex.  

Speaking on the occasion Shri Rajnath Singh, said MMRDA  project has 63 per cent indigenous content which will enhance to 75 per cent in next two to three years. “This reflects Indian Industry’s overwhelming response to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s  Atmanairbhar Bharat Abhiyan call” he said. Raksha Mantri said this driver-less metro project will act as a source of inspiration to other Indian companies, particularly the defence industry to help India emerge as a manufacturing hub which, in turn,  will fulfil 5 Billion US Dollar  defence export target and 25 Billion US Dollar defence industry turn over by 2025. Raksha Mantri said Ministry of Defence has taken a number of steps like introducing  Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 and new  Defence Acquisition Policy incorporating provisions for  purchasing equipment and platforms with more indigenous technology. Citing the government’s recent decision to procure 83 Tejas  fighter aircrafts from HAL  at the cost of nearly Rs. 50 thousand  Crore, Raksha Mantri said  it will create over 50000 new job opportunities and “about 500 Indian companies including MSMEs as well as private companies will get a business boost with the HAL’s Tejas  project.”

         Shri Rajnath Singh expressed hope that MMRDA driver-less technology will lead to its expansion into other fields of defence such as   tanks and fighter planes in the future.  While appreciating BEML, Raksha Mantri termed the company  as a true ‘Atmanirbhar Warrior’. He  expressed his happiness that the Covid-19 pandemic, which has halted progress across the  world,  has had almost no impact on the production activities of BEML and DPSUs.

            Welcoming Raksha Mantri, Chairman & Managing Director, BEML Dr. Deepak Kumar Hota, said,” Raksha Mantri’s visit to BEML is a true reflection of the unstinted support and encouragement that he is providing to BEML. BEML’s foray into metro manufacturing has been a defining moment for the urban transportation scenario of  the country. With a major market share in the country in direct competition with well-established international players, BEML has made its mark as the only Indian company in this high technology field.”

          Shri Rajnath Singh also virtually launched the Aerospace Assembly Hangar, situated within BEML’s Bangalore Complex, and unveiled first indigenously manufactured Tatra Cabin by BEML.

Secretary, Defence Production Shri Raj Kumar and other senior officials of MoD and BEML were also present on the  occasion.