Bigger, faster, cooler: New Metro trains for commuters from March | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Bigger, faster, cooler: New Metro trains for commuters from March

Hindustan Times | ByFaizan Haider, New Delhi
Nov 28, 2016 01:19 PM IST

Korean model coaches to start operating on yet-to-be opened Magenta Line’s Botanical Garden-Kalkaji corridor, will go driverless by mid-2018

Come March, swankier, faster, more spacious and energy-efficient Metro trains will be thrown open to commuters on the new Magenta Line’s Botanical Garden-Kalkaji corridor—a section of the Phase 3 expansion.

New Metro trains have an ‘Unattended Train Operation’ mode.(Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)
New Metro trains have an ‘Unattended Train Operation’ mode.(Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has ordered 86 six-coach trains from a Korea-based manufacturer to be used on the new Pink (Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar) and Magenta (Botanical Garden-Janakpuri west) lines. Eventually, after trials, they will be run on automated mode without a driver.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The new trains, which can’t be integrated with the existing lines, have a host of special features:

Driverless operation

The trains have an ‘Unattended Train Operation’ mode. Initially, operators will drive them. By mid 2018, after DMRC holds stringent trials for a year, the trains are expected to go completely driverless.

All functions — starting and stopping, acceleration and braking, operation of doors and handling of emergencies—will be fully automated. A control room at every station will manage and monitor every activity. There will also be a central control room, Operation Control Centre (OCC), which will also communicate with the train. The OCC will monitor live streaming from the coaches as well.

New metro systems world over are reportedly adopting the driverless technology. Internationally, the trials take about a year and a half, DMRC said.

The trains also have an Obstruction Deflection Device (ODD) that can remove small obstructions on the track to avoid derailment.

Once the trains become driverless, their two additional front-facing cameras will help the control room spot and prevent suicide attempts. The driver’s cabin will be removed, and 60 more passengers can be accommodated in each train.

Additional space

The new-design coaches are wider at 3.2 metres, compared to the existing 2.9-metre wide coaches on Standard Gauge. Technical equipment have moved to beneath the seats. As a result, passenger capacity will increase from 1,780 to 1,866 per train.

Speed and frequency

The existing trains run at 35 kilometres an hour. The new ones have higher acceleration which can make them 10% faster. Also, the distance between two trains can be less, and the trains can run at 90 seconds frequency. At present, their average frequency is two minutes and 10 seconds.

Energy efficiency

The new design can facilitate higher regeneration of power which can lower energy consumption by 20%. It has technologies such as LED saloon lights with automatic dimming facility based on ambient light and inverter-controlled energy efficient air-conditioning system.

Digital screens

Screens in every coach will display digital route maps. There are also fully programmable LCD screens with videos, graphics, animations and real-time video streaming. Advertisements can also be displayed on them, a revenue stream for DMRC.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On