The contract for the supply of rolling stocks-engine plus train sets for the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Hyderabad Metro Rail project has been awarded to South Korean firm Hyundai Rotem.

LTMRHL Chief Executive VB Gadgil and Hyundai Rotem Co.'s rail business Hyung-Wook Kim signed and exchange the Letter of Award on Tuesday.

Announcing the name of the Korean company for the contract, Gadgil said, "The much-awaited rolling stock order has been awarded to Hyundai Rotem Company after examining various rolling stock manufacturers operating in metros in India and abroad."

China's CSR, Canada's Bombardier and Spain's CAF were also in the race for the contract.

Under the contract, Hyundai Rotem Co. will supply a total of 171 rail cars (57 trains) for around Rs 1800 crore.

The rail project will be completed in various stages. The first stage of the project represents Nagole to Mettuguda, second stage represents Miyapur to S R Nagar, third stage Mettuguda to Begumpet, fiurth stage Begumpet to Shilparamam, fifth stage S R Nagar to L B Nagar, and the final stage JBS to Falaknuma. The Korean company will deliver rolling stocks nine months previous to the commissioning of each stage.

Seoul, South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem is a $2.4-billion company that manufactures electric locomotives as well as passenger cars. It has already supplied electric locomotives as well as passenger cars to projects in a number of countries, including Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.