On fast track: Rapid Metro project work enters last lap

Come July and the trial run of India’s first 100% privately funded and operated light rail transit service, Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon (RMG), would begin, easing commuting woes of lakhs of residents. Sanjeev K Ahuja reports.

Come July and the trial run of India’s first 100% privately funded and operated light rail transit service, Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon (RMG), would begin, easing commuting woes of lakhs of residents.

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The work of laying steel tracks, which have already arrived at a stockyard in Gurgaon, would begin in the next few days.

The consignment of equipment, including the insulated third rail, has also arrived from Austria. The third rail is a method of providing electric power to a train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the railway track.

Unlike the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the Rapid Metro trains are going to draw power from the third rail in a bid to do away with overhead electric poles.

Built on lines of the Dubai Metro, the Rapid Metro will maintain the aesthetics of the city and suit the swanky glass structures of DLF City through which the trains would meander, company officials claimed.

Five aluminum-body Siemens trains are likely to arrive in Gurgaon from China in May after the tracks have been laid.

Though this R1,000-crore project had a slow beginning due to land acquisition and transfer issues, officials are hopeful of meeting the January 2013 deadline, within the designated 30 months' construction time.

“We have received a consignment of steel tracks from Austria and the work to lay them would start by this weekend. The tracks would be ready by May after which we will start laying the insulated third rail. Five trains will arrive from China in May and by July, we expect to start the trial runs,” said Sarvesh Tiwari, head of media and communications, Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) company of INTL Enso Rail Systems (IERS), a unit of IL&FS and DLF.

Starting from the Sikanderpur Metro station, the intra-city service would meander through posh DLF City (Phase-2) and cater to Belvedere Park and Towers, DLF Cyber City, National Media Centre, Ambience Lagoon apartments before turning towards DLF SEZ in DLF City-3.