India’s first private Metro to roll out in Gurgaon tomorrow

In a boost to travel facilities in Gurgaon, the country’s first privately funded Metro rail system, the Rapid Metro will begin commercial operations on Thursday.

In a boost to travel facilities in Gurgaon, the country’s first privately funded Metro rail system, the Rapid Metro will begin commercial operations on Thursday.

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The launch of the five three-coach trains, which are expected initially to carry around 40,000-50,000 people a day, will be a low-key affair.

The promoters expect the daily ridership to touch the one-lakh mark in a year.

No electricity towers have been built on Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon’s route because the trains are designed to draw electricity from a third rail (a parallel track laid between the two tracks under the train).

They also fitted with automatic operation systems which make human drivers optional. A group of people, including a woman, have been appointed as drivers, anyway.

Five of the six stations on its 6.1-km track are ready, while construction on the Gateway Tower Metro station, which was delayed by land acquisition issues, is still on.

The Commissioner of Metro Railways (Safety) has given its nod for running the services from Thursday.

The Delhi Metro is linked to Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon at the Sikanderpur Metro station with walkways.