How Autodesk’s technology supported Chennai Metro in design to implementation of the project
Parminder Singh, Country Head – Design & Manufacturing and Media & Entertainment, India & SAARC, Autodesk
In a complex project such as the Chennai Metro rail, use of technology had a critical role to play, and the $6.5 billion US-based Autodesk helped bring together the 50+ civil and systems contractors involved in the Metro Rail project. Autodesk said its design and make platform helped various contractors work on uniform technology rather than working on silos.
Autodesk’s platform made it possible to visualise, coordinate and quantify design intent long before bricks and concrete went in, Parminder Singh, Country Head – Design & Manufacturing and Media & Entertainment, India & SAARC, Autodesk, told businessline. “Chennai Metro was one of the marquee projects or leading projects for Autodesk. With over 50 contractors involved, and large teams working it was one of the biggest challenges of collaboration. Autodesk provided the solution to CMRL, and they extended it to all their vendors,” he added.
A project such as Chennai metro has complex corridors (elevated + underground), multiple contractors, complex civil/structural/MEP/systems integration, he said. For example, on a terrain at a particular location, the tool virtually maps the terrain, builds the station, to know what’s going to be the impact, through an intelligent 3D modelling approach from the two dimensional, he said.
The whole project was in 3D so that in critical areas, one can visualise the challenges upfront in the project rather than finding out after the whole execution of the civil work has started, which will be too late if there is any major issue, he said. “This is key or essential to delivering the projects on time, or before time, or reducing the overall cost, because any delay or any rework has an impact on the ecosystem and on the cost of the project and the time. So, that was another big initiative they have taken,” he added.
A lot of Artificial Intelligence led technology was used during the design stage. For example, tracing the sunlight throughout the day – how it’s going to impact the various projects they are doing. That kind of study was done well in advance, he said.
A CMRL source said that Autodesk’s Building Infrastructure Modeling (BIM) helped in the alignment planning of the project, involving balancing safety, managing traffic flow, and minimizing environmental impact. Overall, the BIM process and associated tools help throughout the project lifecycle in building the sustainable Infrastructures, the source said.
Published on November 20, 2025
