Chennai Metro Rail’s first driverless train ready

Despite a delay, the train, manufactured in Sri City, will be transported to the Poonamallee depot

The manufacturing of Chennai Metro Rail’s first driverless train has been completed and is likely to be transported to the Poonamallee depot by the middle of October.

For the ₹63,246 crore phase II project, Chennai Metro Rail’s objective is to have driverless trains unlike the phase I project which has a train operator on board and the contract for this work was given at a cost of ₹1,125.92 crore. Seven months back, the making of the first train got underway at Sri City with the target of delivery being the end of August. The date of delivery was put off and it was expected that the train would reach by the end of September.

According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), though the manufacturing has been finished, there will be a testing process called ‘static testing’ which will be done at Sri City and the train is likely to land at the depot only next month.

Sources said, there was a manufacturing delay because it took time to get a few components for the train. The driverless train will be operated in the Poonamallee - Porur stretch, a part of corridor 4 of the phase II project, first during the testing phase and subsequently when the operations begin late next year.

“We don’t expect any more delays, and the train should come next month; we will subsequently start the testing process. This minor setback will not affect the phase II work because we will complete the inspection and testing within five months. The viaduct work between Poonamallee and Porur will anyway be completed only by that time. Once it is ready, the trials will begin along the viaduct between Poonamallee and Porur,” an official said.

Since the coaches will arrive separately, they will be first linked and then numerous systems like passenger information system, pantograph, brakes, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and train control management system will be checked, sources in the project said. Subsequently, power supply will be given and yet again, static and dynamic tests will be carried out. “At first, we will test the train at 10 kmph and then gradually increase the speed and take it up to the maximum level of 90 kmph,” a source said.

Published - September 23, 2024 01:11 am IST