MUMBAI ( Metro Rail News): Mumbai’s first underground metro line will seek safety approval to begin driverless operations after completing Phase 1 (Bandra Kurla Complex to Aarey) in December.
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation’s managing director, Ashwini Bhide, stated, “Service trials will also be conducted with drivers on board and submitted for CMRS (Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety) approval.”
Trials of at least six months would require of the CMRS authorisation to conduct driverless operations. They would be completed concurrently following the commissioning. We will convert to driverless mode once the CMRS approval is received.”
The CMRS is the final approval authority for the commercial operation of any metro line in the country.
The metro will run with nine rakes of eight coaches each in Phase 1. The underground Metro 3 runs for 33 km from Colaba to Aarey. The corporation will commence activities on this corridor in two stages: from the Bandra Kurla Complex to Aarey and from the Bandra Kurla Complex to Colaba.
In addition, the trains on the recently opened elevated lines, Metro Lines 2A and 7, also contain autonomous technology.
Still, they are operated by drivers since commuters need to become more familiar with the concept, according to officials. As a result, Metro 3 may be the first to commence driverless operations.
