Alstom Launches Its Largest Digital Experience Centre for Next-Generation Signalling Solutions Development in India

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20/12/2023

Alstom launches its largest Digital Experience Centre for next-generation Signalling solutions development in India

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Alstom, a global leader in intelligent and sustainable mobility, launched India’s first Digital Experience Centre built by a rail OEM today. Located in Bangalore and spread over 5000 sq.ft., the Digital Experience will be the hub for executing urban, mainline, freight, mining (specific market) projects, and the integrated cybersecurity, security telecom, and SCADA features. With this centre, Alstom has its most extensive signalling lab infrastructure spread over 60000 sq. ft. in India. This will aid the company’s vision of making India a global hub for technology and innovation. The dedicated experience centre will support more than 7 million hours of engineering work for Indian and global projects.

Commenting on the launch of the Digital Experience Centre, Olivier Loison, Managing Director, Alstom India, said, “The rail network in India, both urban and mainline, is becoming highly modernised and complex, this makes it more important than ever to develop advanced Signalling solutions to drive safety, efficiency, and improved passenger experience. In addition to our excellent manufacturing and engineering capabilities, we are proud to be now leading the charter of rail technology innovation with the launch of this centre in India. As the leaders in sustainable mobility, we look forward to developing modern signalling solutions by harnessing the country’s vast talent pool, moving forward the innovation goalpost in our industry.’’

As per a study by GII, the market for railway signalling systems is expected to witness significant growth. The global railway signalling systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% over the forecast period from 2022 to 2030. Alstom’s signalling lab infrastructure in India today addresses more than 40% of its worldwide R&D needs.

Highlights about the Digital Experience Centre: The centre will facilitate learning, adaptation, experimentation, simulation, and validation of Alstom’s new signalling solutions and advanced industry hardware and software innovations. It will conduct complete simulations of world-class signalling technologies, including the one developed for the NaMo Bharat, India’s first semi-high-speed regional train. Moreover, the centre will leverage IoT, IoB for Security and Telecom-related domains, GenAI applications (OpenAI-based), and blockchain for innovation projects in railway applications. These initiatives aim to enhance Alstom’s business capabilities and efficiency and inspire a culture of innovation within the organisation. The centre’s extensive infrastructure will speed up localisations of solutions and R&D programs, drive innovation in India, and support the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Other key highlights include:

Centralised demonstration of Operation Control Centre depicting all train movements in a project
Remote system monitoring and troubleshooting
Display of safety-critical hardware, trackside equipment, innovation booths, and interactive information on all signalling gears
Complete end-to-end tests for projects and R&D software delivered from India.
Built leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, Big Data, intelligent maintenance, LTE, and cybersecurity.
Mobile app-enabled solutions.

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Plans Underway to Extend Delhi Metro’s Silver Line to Terminal 1

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Staff Reporter

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20/12/2023

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NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has sent a DPR to the Government to extend the Delhi Metro’s Silver Line to Terminal 1.

Increasing Passenger Traffic

The passenger traffic at Terminal 1 is expected to increase from 1.5 Crore Passengers annually (CPA) to 4.5 CPA in the coming months.

The current capacity of the IGI airport is as follows:

Terminal	Capacity
T1	1.7 Cr
T2	1.5 Cr
T3	4.2 Cr

The combined capacity of the airport is expected to increase to 13.4 CPA in the coming 6-8 years.

Need for Metro

The increasing number of passengers daily necessitates a robust transit system to meet traffic needs as roads remain busy and logged. In such a case, the metro must cater to heavy passenger outflow.

Other initiatives

Other initiatives to support the increasing Passenger outflow include developing check-in facilities at metro stations like Botanical Garden for passengers flying out of T1. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has also sought arrangements for the same from DMRC.

Current Scenario

The Delhi metro is Currently connected to the Airport through two lines

Magenta line with a stop at T1
Airport Express Line with a stop at Aerocity & T3.

Connectivity Boost with Silver Line

Delhi Metro’s 23.622 Km long silver line runs between Aerocity and Tughlakabad to cover major locations like Tughlakabad, Tughlakabad Railway Colony, Anandmayee Marg Junction, Tigri, Khanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Saket G Block, Saket, Lado Sarai, Mehrauli, Kishangar, Masoodpur, Vasant Kunj (Sec-D), Mahipalpur and Delhi Aerocity.

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CMRS Inspection of the Howrah-Esplanade Stretech of Kolkata Metro Suspended Midway

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Staff Reporter

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20/12/2023

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CRS Inspection of the Kolkata Underwater Metro Corridor Scheduled for Today — Kolkata Underwater Metro Tunnel

KOLKATA (Metro Rail News): The CMRS team in Kolkata to inspect the underwater metro stretch for safety and specifications of the Structure on the Howrah-Esplanade stretch of the Kolkata Metro has suspended the inspection midway.

Aberrations

The team has been disappointed with the dire state of the eastbound tunnel of the Esplanade-Sealdah Section. The tunnel will be used to transport rakes from the Central Park Depot. In Addition, the team is also unhappy with the incomplete shaft at Esplanade station made for lifting out construction material.

Some stretches even needed more tracks and the concrete casting used for laying tracks.

The Inspection

According to earlier reports, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) was set to undertake an extensive week-long examination. The survey would have been split into two separate teams, with the first working from Friday to Monday and the second from Tuesday to Thursday. Notably, under the CRS, the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) would have attended the final inspection phase on Wednesday.

It was the first time that a CMRS team was there to conduct the inspections.

The Bowbazar Complication

The 800 m Bowbazar stretch of the East-West Metro Corridor has witnessed three incidences of water seepage and subsidence since 2019. This happened for One of the eight cross packages, each 250 meters apart, between Esplanade & Sealdah, which led to the subsidence in October 2022.

A cross-package aims to connect two tunnels. Thus, emergency or contingency situations can be tackled well. Later, the number of cross-packages was reduced to 5, separating 360 meters between each.

The State of East-West Metro

The East-West Metro currently covers a distance of 9.2km, extending from Sector V to Sealdah. The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC), responsible for the 16km corridor between Sector V and Howrah Maidan, has encountered challenges leading to the decision to limit operations to a truncated route from Esplanade to Howrah Maidan starting at the end of this year, bypassing further extension beyond Sealdah.

Given the absence of a depot on the Howrah side, empty train sets would have travelled from the Salt Lake depot to the operational Sealdah Station. From there, these sets would be conveyed through the eastbound tunnel of the Sealdah-Esplanade Stretch, currently under construction, to reach the Esplanade Station

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Government of India and ADB sign 37 billion Japanese Yen loan for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System Corridor

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Staff Reporter

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19/12/2023

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rrts-train — RRTS -train (representational)

NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 15th December 2023 signed an agreement for a 37 billion Japanese Yen ($250 million) loan that will continue financing the construction of the 82-kilometre Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor.

Signatories

The signatories to the loan agreement were Ms. Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, for the Government of India, and Mr. Hoe Yun Jeong, Deputy Country Director and Officer-in-Charge of the India Resident Mission, for ADB.

Previous Tranches

Earlier, ADB had approved a $1,049 million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for the project in 2020 to support the construction of RRTS, the first of three priority rail corridors planned under the NCR Regional Plan 2021, to connect Delhi to other cities in adjoining states. The RRTS will have multi-modal hubs to ensure smooth interchange with other transport modes. The first tranche of the ADB loan amounted to $500 million, with another $500 million co-financed by AIIB.

Improve Urban Mobility

After signing the loan agreement, Ms Mukherjee stated that the investment project will enable the RRTS to improve urban mobility, and the project’s economic impacts will also benefit women and the differently abled.

Reduce Carbon Emissions

“ADB financing is helping the construction of the corridor which will allow people to travel by a low carbon and efficient railway system and save millions of tons of CO2 emissions and play a significant role in climate change mitigation,” said Mr. Jeong.

Efficient Commutation

Passing through the populated sections of the national capital region, the 82-km corridor will provide fast, safe, and high-capacity commuter transit services, expanding economic and employment opportunities by cutting travel time from 3-4 hours to about 1 hour.

Discover the endless possibilities of our city’s Metro at InnoMetro, our flagship Expo and Conference. Be an active participant in shaping its future towards a more sustainable tomorrow. Stay informed and join us to take a step towards a brighter future.

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Administration Greenlights the AAR by RITES for Phase 1 Chandigarh Metro

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Staff Reporter

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19/12/2023

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Chandigarh metro (Representational image)

CHANDIGARH (Metro Rail News): The Chandigarh administration has greenlighted the AAR prepared by RITES, suggesting an 89-long metro Route for Phase 1 of the MRTS Project.

Unified Metropolitan Transport Meeting

The meeting was held at the Sector 9 secretariat with Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal representatives, with Chandigarh administrator Banwarilala Purohit presiding over the meeting. The council discussed the proposed plan for the Chandigarh MRTS and the extension of the length of Phase 1 from 79.5 Km to 89 Km.

Sub-Committee

A sub-committee has also been set up to look into the location of metro stations in respective states and align them strategically. While the stations must be finalised, the council has agreed to convey the underground and elevated alignments to the MoHUA.

Phase 1 Corridors

The proposed 89-km-long Phase 1 of the Chandigarh Metro entails three corridors:

Paraul (New Chandigarh)-Sarangpur-ISBT Panchkula to Panchkula Extension – 34 km
Rock Garden to Zirakpur ISBT via Industrial Area and Airport- 42 km
Grain Market Chowk, Sector 39, to Transport Chowk, Sector 26- 13 km

Among these, the 3rd Corridor along the Madhya Marg, running from Sector 26 to Sector 39, will be fully elevated. In contrast, the other two will be mostly elevated, with only a few sections underground.

Phase 2 Corridors

As per the submitted AOR, Phase 2 of the Chandigarh Metro will be around 25 Km divided into two corridors:

Airport Chowk to Manakpur Kallar (5 km)
ISBT Zirakpur to Pinjore (20 km)

Development work on Phase 2 will begin only once the development works on the corridors of Phase 1 end by 2034.

Finance

The overall estimated cost for the metro corridor is Rs 11,000 Crore, which would be acquired in the following manner:

Source	Fund (in %)
Govt of Punjab & Haryana	20
Central Government	20
Lending	60

Need

Chandigarh urgently requires the establishment of a metro rail system due to various factors, including:

1. Elevated Traffic Volume: The substantial increase in vehicles on the roads necessitates an efficient public transportation alternative.

2. Population Surge: The rising population near Chandigarh underscores the need for a convenient and extensive metro network to accommodate the growing commuter demand.

3. Economic Prosperity and Investments: With escalating affluence and heightened investments in Chandigarh, the city benefits significantly from a well-structured metro system.

Anticipating the advent of a robust public transport system, the residents of Chandigarh eagerly await the implementation of a metro service in the city.

Discover the endless possibilities of our city’s Metro at InnoMetro, our flagship Expo and Conference. Be an active participant in shaping its future towards a more sustainable tomorrow. Stay informed and join us to take a step towards a brighter future.

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MMRCL Invites Bids for 4.5 Km Extension of the Pune Metro

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Staff Reporter

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19/12/2023

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PUNE (Metro Rail News): Pune Metro has invited bids for the design and construction of an Elevated Viaduct of Length 4.519 Kms from between PCMC and NIGDI on the North-South Corridor of Pune Metro Rail Project- Reach1 – Extension.

Key Details

The critical details for the tender are listed below:

Bid Security (EMD): INR: 1.74 Crores

Completion Period: 130 Weeks

Pre-Bid Meeting: 09/01/2024

Date of Submission: 22/01/2024

Date of Opening of Tender: 22/01/2024

Extension

In October, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs approved the extension of the Pune metro’s Purple line, spanning 4.413 km, with an estimated cost of Rs 910.18 Crore. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) obtained approval from the Maharashtra Government in February 2021 and received sanction from the Public Investment Board (PIB) in September 2023.

This proposed extension will increase the length of the Pune metro by 4.413 km. Currently, the Pune metro spans 54.14 km across three lines, with 27.15 km already operational.

Stations to be Built

This expansion plan encompasses the construction of elevated stations at Chinchwad, Akurdi, and Nigdi.

Pune Metro

Pune metro is a rapid transit system for the city of Pune that has three lines running with a combined length of 54.14 km, of which two lines are operational as of now. The three lines are:

Purple Line: PCMC Bhavan to Swargate
Aqua Line: Vanaz to Ramwadi
Line 3: Hinjawadi to Civil Court via Balewadi

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LOGOS – ATPL – RENMAKCH Consortium Bags Driving Cab Simulator Contract from Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation

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Staff Reporter

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19/12/2023

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Renmakch Consortium Awarded Maintenance Contract by Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation

AHMEDABAD (Metro Rail News): LOGOS – ATPL – RENMAKCH Consortium has won the Contract for Designing, Manufacturing, Supply, Installation, Commissioning and 5 Year Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract of Driving Cab Simulator from Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC). The Contract Agreement was signed today at GMRC, Ahmedabad.

The Scope of Supply includes One Function Driving Simulator with 3 Degrees of Freedom, Motion Simulation for Rolling Stock (Titagarh Rail Systems ) Surat Corridor, One Multi-Purpose Driving simulator for Rolling Stock (Hyundai Rotem) Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-I Corridor, One Instructor Station, One Observer Station, 12 nos. of Train Sub-system Maintenance Simulator, 15 nos. General Simulator Modules & 18 no. of Computer Based Tutorials.

The project also involves the development of high-end Virtual Reality (VR) graphics of the entire route of both metros to simulate the actual driving experience for training purposes.

RENMAKCH, one of the Consortium Members of this project and Pioneers in the Manufacturing of Depot Equipment under the Make in India Policy, will be manufacturing this Simulator in their factory near Mumbai under a Transfer of Technology Agreement with LOGOS from Russia.

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K-RIDE Enters Into an Agreement with KfW to Boost Airport Corridor

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Staff Reporter

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18/12/2023

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K-RIDE Enters Into an Agreement with KfW to Boost Airport Corridor

BANGALORE (Metro Rail News): Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited, or K-RIDE, has agreed with the KfW, the German Development Bank, to facilitate the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project.

The Corridors

The fund will facilitate the two corridors of the Bangalore sub-urban rails, which are :

Majestic to Devanahalli line linking KIA
Kengeri-Whitefield line

The Agreement

The agreement was signed between the both in Delhi on Friday in the presence of the officials. It will be tasked with developing a 148 Km extended Suburban rail network on four corridors.

Total Fund & Fund Usage

K-RIDE will get a total of 500 Million Euros as a loan component and 4.5 Million Euros as a grant. K-RIDE will use the funds to float tenders for corridors other than 2 & 4 and in traction, signalling, overhead power supply, etc.

BSRP- Bengaluru Sub-Urban Rail Project

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) is an approved 149.348 km long commuter rail network with 64 stations in Bangalore. It is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 15,767 Crore. It consists of 4 corridors:

Corridor 1: Sampige Line- 41.478 km with 15 Stations
Corridor 2: Mallige Line- 24.866 km with 14 Stations
Corridor 3: Parijaata Line- 35.52 km with 14 Stations
Corridor 4: Kanaka Line – 46.285 km with 19 Stations

The project is being implemented by Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) with a deadline of 2026.

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3 Bidders Unveiled by MPMRCL for Bhopal & Indore Metro’s Independent Safety Assessor

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Staff Reporter

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18/12/2023

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BHOPAL (Metro Rail News): Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) opened the three bidders for the Package BH-IN-11, unveiling the three bidders for the Package.

Package BH-IN-11

The Consultancy Service Package BH-IN-11 includes carrying out an Independent Safety Assessment and audit of both systems’ Signaling and train Control System and its interfaces with the Rolling Stock Platform Screen Door system at underground stations and other systems such as track, 750 V Third Rail Traction and Automatic Fare Collection.

Scope of the Contract

The contract scope entails Independent Safety Assessors (ISA) and an audit of the signalling & train control safety aspects, platform screen door and Rolling Stock sub-systems for the Bhopal and Indore Metro Rail Projects.

The Bidders

The three bidders for the package are:

Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd.
TUV INDIA Pvt. Ltd.
TUV SUD South Asia Pvt. Ltd.

Further Developments

The bids are further expected to go through a round of technical evaluation that will reveal the name of the lowest bidder and the possible awardee for the contract.

Task at Hand

As appointed, the first assignment of the awardee will be to conduct an ISA of the priority stretch of the Bhopal & Indore Metro to gear it up for commercial operations.

Bhopal & Indore Metro(s)

Bhopal Metro’s Phase 1 project’s DPR (Detailed Project Report ) with routes of 27.90 km was approved by the state government in December 2016 and by the Central Government’s cabinet in October 2018. It consists of 2 lines:

01. Line-2 or Orange Line: Karond Circle – AIIMS – 14.99 km

02. Line-5 or Blue Line: Bhadbhada Square – Ratnagiri Tiraha – 12.91 km

Bhopal Metro’s Priority Corridor will be completed and opened in March 2024.

Indore Metro is a Mass Rapid Transit System being built by MPMRCL. Phase 01 of the Indore metro is being built at an estimated cost of Rs. 7500 Crores. The metro trains will run 80 km/hr across the 31.5 Km line in Indore with 29 stations.

Public Impact

The Bhopal Metro promises to offer efficient and eco-friendly commutation in the city. The trial run is a testament to the goals of the Bhopal metro mentioned above. Alstom Transport India has manufactured the 3-coach train running on the Bhopal Metro with a passenger seating capacity of 50 & room for 300 standing passengers.

It will transform how people commute in Bhopal and facilitate an easy, efficient & eco-friendly commutation.

Intrigued by the future of Metro and its impact on our city? Join us at our upcoming InnoMetro event to delve deeper into this vital issue. Stay informed, get involved, and let’s ride the Metro towards a brighter, more sustainable future together.

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ST Engineering Awarded Chennai Metro Phase 2’s Contract Worth Over Rs 150 Crore

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Staff Reporter

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18/12/2023

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CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) issued a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) to ST Engineering for the Chennai Metro’s Package ASA12A.

Package ASA12A

It includes Line 3’s ten elevated stations between Sholinganallur Lake and SIPCOT 2 and Line 5’s 29 elevated stations between Grain Market and Elcot.

Scope of Contract

Design, Manufacture, Supply, Installation, Testing and Commissioning of Platform Screen Doors for Corridor 3 and Corridor 5 of CMRL Phase II.

Amount

The final contract value goes to Rs 159.97 Crore, a combination of Rs 108.85 Crore + USD 6.24 Million.

Platform Screen Doors

Platform Screen Doors help separate the platform from train tracks in some metro, rapid transit and People mover stations. These help the authorities in enhancing passenger safety and security with the ultimate objective of preventing suicides and accidents caused by passenger movement.

Chennai Metro, Phase 02

The second phase of the Chennai Metro Project envisions the development of a 118.9 km network comprising three corridors. Firstly, Corridor 3, spanning from Madhavaram to SIPCOT (45.8 km), is currently in progress, with ongoing land acquisition efforts. This corridor is set to connect significant IT hubs and educational institutions in the region.

Next, Corridor 4, running from Lighthouse to Poonamalle Bypass (26.1 km), is experiencing delays due to Coastal Regulation Clearance issues. However, once completed, it aims to enhance connectivity to the northern suburbs of Chennai.

Lastly, Corridor 5, extending from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur (47 km), is also in the works, with 63 steel bridges already installed. Notably, this corridor will mark a milestone as the first in the Chennai metro rail network to feature driverless metros.

Presently, construction is underway for 36 out of the 61 packages, encompassing Civil, Track, and System components for Corridor 3, Corridor 4, and Corridor 5. The targeted completion date for the entire project is the conclusion of 2026.

For those interested in the advancements and possibilities of the city’s metro system, the InnoMetro Expo and Conference provide a platform to explore and shape its future. Individuals can contribute to building a more sustainable tomorrow by actively participating in this event. Stay informed and join the initiative to advance towards a brighter future.

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