Kolkata: Commuters in Kolkata will soon get the ‘bullet train’ experience. The new set of rakes for the Kolkata’s East West Metro corridor of Kolkata Metro will receive futuristic rakes. These will be supplied by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). As per news these rakes will have Bullet Train like features.
The brand new coaches from BEML will be technologically advanced. These will look like bullet train but made of aluminium instead of steel. All the 14 six coach rakes will have futuristic features and promises to give a bullet train like feel to commuters.
Kolkata Metro, country’s oldest underground rail system. Initiated in 80’s, the metro services are the lifeline of city’s transportation. The network is expanding and ushering in modernisation.
Now it soon will boost of having Bullet Train like rakes for its East-West metro corridor. BEML, a Bengaluru-based body will be supplying the state-of-the-art rakes to the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC).
A BEML spokesperson shares that the rakes will be akin to bullet train coaches. The difference will be the material used in making them; these will be made in aluminium.
Chairman and Managing Director, BEML, DK Hota says that the National High-Speed Rail Corporation is looking at Mitsubishi Hitachi and Kawasaki for approximately 240 coaches by 2022-23. BEML has joined hands with Hitachi and is also collaborating with Kawasaki.
BEML is the oldest coach manufacturer of the country. Currently, 45% of the railway coaches are manufactured by BEML. The company has an illustrious past and has been building railway coaches as per Hota.
The MD and Chairman also assert that even in face of tough competition globally, BEML coaches are seen at par with international standards.
BEML has received positive response from all locations from where they have sent their coaches. Kolkata metro soon will get new rakes.
Currently, three coaches are undergoing trails in the city. Fourth coach is expected to reach this month itself. KMRC is hoping to start commercial operations by January 2019. These coaches will be operated between Sector V and Salt Lake Stadium.
Kolkata Metro has commissioned coaches from BEML, previously too. The six coaches had excellent features comprising of advanced automation, a remote operation hub that operates like an airport’s ATC tower, push-button start and stop and track-synced safe signalling.
