Nagpur: After successfully rolling out Phase 1 and pushing ahead with the ongoing Phase 2 expansion, Nagpur Metro is now preparing for a giant technological leap, driverless operations in Phase 3.
The upcoming corridor, stretching from Sitabuldi to Koradi, will feature Unattended Train Operation (UTO), a Grade 4 automation system that eliminates the need for human drivers. The announcement marks a major milestone for MahaMetro, placing Nagpur among India’s few cities moving toward fully automated metro systems.
Gold Rate
04Oct 2025
Confirming the development, MahaMetro Managing Director Shravan Hardikar said, “Driverless technology demands a completely new signalling network, train sets, and centralized control systems. Therefore, it is most practical to introduce it on a new corridor, where every component can be designed for automation from the outset.”
Currently, Nagpur Metro runs on Grade 2 and Grade 3 automation under the Attended Train Operation (ATO) model, where a trained operator remains onboard to monitor and intervene when needed.
A senior MahaMetro official explained that automation in metro systems is categorized from Grade 1 to Grade 4, with Grade 4 representing complete automation under UTO. “Nagpur currently uses CBTC-based signaling at Grade 3, where most operations are automated, but human supervision is mandatory,” the official said.
Delhi Metro has already implemented driverless operations on select routes, while metros in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune are also progressing toward the same level of automation. With Phase 3, Nagpur will soon join this elite list, reinforcing its image as one of India’s fastest-evolving urban transport networks.
A senior MahaMetro official explained that metro automation is classified into four grades, with Nagpur currently operating at Grade 3, which uses the communication-based train control (CBTC) system. “In the ATO mode, an operator remains inside the train to oversee and manage CBTC-based signaling and operations, which are also automated to a certain extent,” the official said.
