In a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, PM Narendra Modi has launched the first indigenously manufactured driverless metro coach for Mumbai Metro. The state-of-the-art driverless metro coach has been manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers (BEML) at its Bengaluru facility in a record time of just 75 days. BEML is a mini-ratna under the Ministry of Defence and a manufacturer of metro cars. The new coach forms part of the order by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation for 500 coaches. The new coaches will be used for the upcoming Mumbai Metro network. In line with metro networks in the developed countries, the new metro train has bicycle parking facility, hence allowing passengers to travel to their destination with an additional mode of transport.
Features of Mumbai Metro ‘Make in India’ new driverless coaches:
The new Mumbai metro cars will operate on 25 kv AC traction. They are equipped with CCTV surveillance for passenger safety and made of stainless steel body with four doors on each side and real-time track monitoring. Each metro coach car will have the capacity of carrying 300 passengers. Some of the salient features of the new Mumbai metro coaches are:
- Designed and developed for
driverless or unattended train operations. At present driverless train
technology is being tested on the Delhi Metro network as well. - LED-based lighting system
with intelligent light control. This results in energy saving. - Advanced train control and
management system, exterior finish with coloured graphic films - Bi-cycle parking facility,
gangway with flexible side panel - Provision of on-board OHE
monitoring, track monitoring system, wheel profile monitoring and axle bearing
temperature monitoring for enhanced safety and maintenance. The train has been
designed for the latest fire standard safety and fire detection system
Along with inaugurating the first driverless coach for Mumbai Metro , PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for three new Mumbai Metro lines which will involve an investment of around Rs 19,000 crore, according to a PTI report. The new corridors are from Kalyan-Taloja, Gaimukh-Shivaji Chowk (Mira Road) and Wadala-CST metro-II Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, is looking to catch with Delhi in expansion of metro network. Delhi has a robust metro network that has allowed lakhs of people to switch to public transport, a model that Mumbai hopes to replicate.
Source: Financial Express
Image Source: Hindustan Times
