Metro Railway is a rapid rail transit system with improved reliability, punctuality & passenger comfort. 1st Metro Rail service was inaugurated on 24th October 1984 in Kolkata. Today, there are 17 Operational Metro railways in the country & yet there are many more to come in the near future in different cities. More than a billion passengers travel annually through metro railways. From, 24th October 1984 to today, we have witnessed a paradigm shift in the transportation industry of this country.
How Metro Railways brought a paradigm shift in Transportation Industry?
When the clock is running at its pace, but you are patiently waiting for your Train. There is no fear of getting late & there is no fear of having your train stuck in between for hours. It’s not just you, there are a thousand others waiting for it very patiently. Everyone looks so assured that their train will come on Time. From having our trains late for hours to having 99.95 % punctuality. From having major train accidents to almost none accidents during travel. From having an untidy, uncomfortable train coach to having clean & comfortable coaches. We have witnessed a paradigm shift in the transportation industry. It’s the metro rail system which has brought a major shift in the transportation industry.
Metro rail systems are equipped with advanced signaling & communication system. If speaking in the general sense, it is the perfect blend of almost all major technological advancements that mankind has ever witnessed. With the help of technological edge over traditional railways, the metro railways have been able to give us assured safety, punctuality & passenger comfort. Metro Railway is no luxury, everyone can afford to pay for it. Assured safety, punctuality & passenger comfort at affordable price is the gift that Metro Railways have given to us. It is the most efficient rail system which is successfully carrying millions of passengers daily, without posing a challenge to the environment.
How well it addresses the Environmental challenges?
Metro Railway is a clean Technology. It runs on electricity thus reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. Today, there are several metro rail organizations in the country but a champion in this regard is no other Metro than the Delhi Metro. Delhi Metro is the first ever Metro railway system in the world to receive carbon credits. Delhi Metro is reducing the emission of 6.3 lakh ton of greenhouse gases every year. Due to the presence of the metro as a means of reliable mode of transportation, 91000 vehicles are now off road in Delhi daily. It’s not just the story of one city, several other cities have similar stories, but their stories are yet to come on record.
Where all it needs to get better?
In my opinion, the current metro system needs to get better at providing last mile connectivity. If we want to have a better tomorrow for ourselves, we need to make all effort to reduce GHG emissions in every possible way. E-rickshaws & cycles are among the few additional modes of transportations that can be promoted to connect users from metro stations to their homes. Also, I strongly believe that there is a need to upgrade from Track circuit-based train control system to communication-based train system or even an advanced signaling system to enhance the productivity of Metro Rail systems.
