ABB powers Kolkata Metro with electrification and motion control upgrades across 72-km network, serving 5 lakh+ daily commuters

Kolkata Metro, India’s oldest metro system established in 1984, has strengthened its long-standing partnership with Swedish industrial technology major ABB to enhance operational efficiency, reliability, and safety across its expanding urban rail network.

The 72-km system currently runs over 300 train trips daily and caters to more than half a million passengers, playing a critical role in easing traffic congestion and supporting sustainable urban mobility in the city.

The collaboration spans a 25-year alliance, under which ABB’s electrification and motion-control technologies have been deployed across key metro infrastructure including stations, tunnels, and depots. The upgrades are designed to reduce downtime, optimise space utilisation, and improve energy efficiency across the network.

Electrification push across stations and tunnels

ABB has deployed a wide portfolio of electrification solutions across Kolkata Metro, including low-voltage and medium-voltage gas-insulated switchgear, distribution boards, lightning protection systems, and variable frequency drives (VFDs). These systems are integrated across multiple corridors such as Sealdah–Phoolbagan, Joka–Majerhat, Barun Sengupta–Nazrul Tirtha, Airport, Shahid Khudiram, and the Blue Line, along with key facilities including Dakshineswar, Baranagar, Metro Railway Bhavan, and the Jai Hind Bimanbandar underground station.

According to the company, ABB Motion’s HVAC-dedicated packaged drives play a critical role in regulating cooling and ventilation systems inside stations, ensuring passenger comfort and safety while also supporting emergency smoke extraction functions. These solutions have delivered energy savings of around 25% on average, reinforcing the system’s focus on efficiency-led operations.

25-year partnership driving metro modernisation

Highlighting the strategic importance of the collaboration, Kiran Dutt, President – Electrification, ABB India, said the partnership reflects India’s broader transition towards smart and low-carbon urban transport systems.

“As India accelerates its journey toward low-carbon, smart urban transit, the need for highly efficient and intelligent solutions has never been more urgent. Today, ABB’s broad portfolio of technologies are helping our customers drive efficient operations across 80% of the nation’s metro rail networks,” Dutt said. He added that ABB’s long association with Kolkata Metro has enabled the deployment of future-ready solutions aligned with India’s infrastructure modernisation goals under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

ABB noted that its solutions have been tailored to meet specific operational requirements across different Kolkata Metro corridors, supporting both legacy infrastructure and ongoing expansion projects.

Powering sustainable urban mobility

Globally, ABB positions itself as a leader in electrification and automation technologies, with operations spanning more than 110,000 employees worldwide. The company emphasises that its solutions are engineered to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability across industries, including large-scale public transport systems.

With metro networks across India increasingly adopting advanced electrification systems, ABB said its technologies currently support over 80% of the country’s metro rail infrastructure, reinforcing its role in shaping the future of urban mobility.