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Delhi Metro | Power failure slows down metro services in Yellow Line

New Delhi: In continuation of its recent poor run, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation faltered yet again today with a power supply snag hitting the Yellow Line, delaying train movement along the North-South corridor.

Train services were hit from around 12 PM to 12.40 PM due to failure of power supply from Delhi Transco (DTL) to DMRC’s substations located at Kashmere Gate and Jahangirpuri, leading to tripping of Over Head Electrification (OHE) two to three times, a Delhi Metro official said.

Services were affected between Central Secretariat and Samaypur Badli stations of the corridor. However, the cascading effect could be felt along the entire line due to bunching effect, he said.

On the other hand, interlocking issue between Jahangirpuri and Model Town stations hindered the setting of routes and providing target speed to trains, thereby affecting the services further.

“Two trains were short looped from Viswavidyalaya to HUDA City Centre in this period to minimise the impact on rest of the section,” the official said.

The 48-km-long Yellow Line (line 2), one of the busiest, connects north Delhi’s Samaypur Badli to Huda City Centre of Gurgaon passing through the walled city and south Delhi.

A spate of glitches have hit DMRC’s Blue Line in the recent past, prompting the Centre to seek a detailed report on the same.

Source//PTI

Mumbai Metro | MMRDA plans to build Metro Bhavan in Aarey Milk Colony

Mumbai: After demarcating a portion of Aarey Milk Colony for a Metro car depot, the state government is now planning to build a ‘Metro Bhavan’.

There is already a stand-off between environmentalists and state officials over a part of Aarey Milk Colony being used for the Metro rail car depot. Now, there is a plan to have more Metro-related facilities at Aarey, but on a different land parcel, to ease Mumbaikars’ commuting woes.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) now wants a four-acre plot next to the Western Express Highway in Goregaon to set up an integrated operations and control centre.

“We will require land permanently to set up the centre for all Metro rail routes planned and those under construction in Mumbai. We recently placed a request with the departments concerned,” said Praveen Darade, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA. Earlier, another request was forwarded by the MMRDA to the Urban Development Department and Dairy Development Department to obtain another two acres adjoining the plot identified for the control centre. However, there will be a need for setting up labour camps as well as a casting yard for the Metro lines, for a few years or for temporary use.

“These two plots are next to a new fuel station that has come up on the eastern side of the Western Express Highway. The plots do not have tree coverage. There is only wild grass or bushes,” added Darade.

“We received a proposal by Dairy Development Department a few days ago pertaining to the setting up a Metro Bhavan on the plot,” said NV Rathod, Chief Executive Officer of Aarey Milk Colony.

Stalin D, who has challenged the construction of the car depot (for the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro line) and Aarey Metro station at Aarey with the National Green Tribunal, responded to the latest development, saying: “I am not surprised with their latest move. We are fighting to protect the city’s green cover.”

Delhi Metro | Center calls detailed report on frequent failures in metro services in Blue Line

New Delhi: With Delhi Metro witnessing frequent glitches causing inconvenience to commuters, the central government today asked DMRC to submit a report on such incidents with an analysis of reasons and measures to be taken to address the same.

“At the behest of Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, senior officials of the ministry today asked Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to examine the recent snags that occurred on metro sections causing inconvenience to passengers for necessary interventions,” a source said.

DMRC has been asked to submit a detailed report on such incidents at different sections with an analysis of reasons and measures to be taken to address the same, the source said.

The ministry officials has also sought details about the snag that occurred on the Blue Line (Dwarka-Noida/Vaishali) yesterday.

DMRC has been asked by the ministry to undertake a detailed analysis of the measures to be taken to address such snags and to minimise inconvenience to passengers and submit a report, the source said.

Last month, DMRC had apologised to the people after a major glitch led to trains losing contact with the Operational Control Centre for two successive days, triggering long delays and outrage.

Source//PTI

Lucknow Metro | LMRC is all set to start oscillation trials

Lucknow: The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) has successfully conducted another trial of the Metro train on its viaduct at higher speed on 9th February, 2017. The tests conducted yesterday on the mainline at viaduct were part of pre-requirements to conduct upcoming planned testing by RDSO for approval of Lucknow Metro trains.

Few of pre-requisite test have already completed recently at test-track & ramp within depot. All efforts are being made by LMRC to complete the testing & commissioning of trains within the time-frame considering the very tight self target set by origination.

Currently, functioning of vital equipment’s have been checked by European experts available at depot.   Lucknow Metro is already moving ahead for conducting Mandatory Testing popularly known as “Oscillation trials” by RDSO.

As per existing procedure for approval of public services opening of a Metro, approval of the Ministry of Railways is required based on successful completion of Oscillation Trials by RDSO and Safety Inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).

A large number of additional foreign experts are also coming to Lucknow on coming Saturday- Sunday in regard to preparation for Oscillation trials who will be staying back till completion of the trials. RDSO testing team experts is also planning to visit Transport Nagar depot during coming weekend to start preparation for Oscillation trials.

These tests will be conducted at design speed of trains which is 90 kmph.  The test will be conducted with empty trains without any passenger load and with passenger load equivalent to crush loading of 8 passengers per square meter. To simulate passenger load, huge numbers of sand bags equivalent to about 20 tones per coach has already been filled & is ready in the depot.

Source//LMRC

Noida Metro | NMRC completes about 70% metro rail project work

Noida: The Noida-Greater Noida Metro track connecting the twin cities with the NCR is 70% complete. This was conveyed to Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar during his review of the under-construction 29.7-km Metro corridor between Noida and Greater Noida in Delhi on Monday. The Metro is expected to become operational by December 2017, three months ahead of the schedule.

Bhatnagar, who is also the chairperson of Noida Metro Rail Corporation, reviewed the progress of construction on the track in the presence of senior officials at UP Sadan in Delhi.
According to DMRC officials, the viaduct for 19 km of the track is already in place. The first trial run of the corridor will be held in Greater Noida. “The chief secretary is satisfied with the progress of the track,” said Santosh Yadav, MD, NMRC. “We have requested that a few road blocks still being faced by the project be ironed out,” he said.

Yadav further said that the chief secretary has been apprised about the reimbursement of Rs 307 crore value added tax (VAT) collected by the UP sales tax department for the execution of the 29.7-km Noida-Greater Noida Metro track.

Nagpur Metro | Siemens to install signalling, control system in metro

Nagpur: The Metro Rail project has moved another step forward with the contract for signalling and train control being awarded to a consortium headed by Siemens. Mahametro (earlier NMRCL) has saved Rs 65 crore in the contract as the consortium has bid lower than the estimate.

Brijesh Dixit, managing director of Mahametro, said that work of signalling and train control of Nagpur Metro Rail was estimated to be 352 crores. “Following international competitive bidding, the tender was awarded to consortium of Siemens India & Siemens Rail Automation and SAU Spain for Rs287 crores, ” he said.

“Nagpur Metro will work on communication based train control (CBTC) system using free band of radio frequency for metro signalling which is the latest technology world wide,” Dixit further said.

According to Dixit, there were several advantages of using CBTC system.

 “It reduces maintenance costs as it minimizes number of personnel and equipment required to maintain system due to minimal track and wayside equipment. The recovery is faster in case of operational disturbances.
 “The life cycle cost is also low. It has control and diagnostic capability as it maximizes train management capability and provides high level of system status and diagnostic information.
“Due to dynamic computing running speeds, speed change can be more smooth and gentle with minimum operational time,” he said.

Kochi Metro | First phase may be open for public by March 2017

Kochi: The first phase of Kochi Metro Rail up to Palarivattom will be ready for commissioning by the end of March.

Now, the ball’s in the state government’s court. It has to take the final call on the partial commissioning of the project up to Palarivattom since the Chief Minister had earlier instructed the Metro rail officials to look into the possibilities of commissioning the project up to Maharajah’s College Ground in the first phase.

A clear picture in this regard is likely to evolve on Tuesday as E Sreedharan, the principal adviser to DMRC is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister in Thiruvanathapuram.

Last month, the Metro man had conducted a trolley inspection of the metro rail tracks and later expressed his confidence regarding completion of the civil works up to Palarivattom by March.

Regarding the progress of the Metro work, the DMRC officials said that the traction work between Aluva and Palarivattom has been already completed.

The signal trial between Aluva and Palarivattom is also on full swing. The signals and points are being operated from the Muttom yard. They also expressed confidence that the work of the Metro stations along the stretch will also be completed by March.

The lift and escalators have already been installed in most of the stations except Edappally and Changampuzha Park.

Major stations between Aluva and Palarivattom are Pulinchodu, Companyppady, Ambattukavu, Muttom, Kalamassery, Cusat, Pathadippalam, Edappally and Changampuzha park. The electrical and air conditioning works of the stations are in different stages of completion.

At some stations like Kalamassery and Cusat, the works are nearly completed.

90 per cent of the civil works are also finished, said DMRC officials.

Noida Metro | Noida – Greater Noida Metro links may be ready before deadline

Noida: The upcoming metro corridors between Noida and Greater Noida, and City Centre and Sector 62, are likely to become operational in 2018, ahead of the deadline.

According to Rama Raman, Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Industries) and chairman of the Noida authority, work is on in full swing on these lines. “Trial runs on the Noida-Greater Noida and City Centre-Sector 62 lines will take place this year. However, commercial run of both lines will start in 2018.

The deadline is April 2018, but we are expecting to begin operation before that,” said Mr. Raman.

Sector 150 will be connected to Faridabad via two bridges on the Yamuna. Work on these is expected to kick-off in the next few months. Also, once the Kalindi Kunj road is opened to public, travelling to south Delhi will become easier.

Delhi Metro | DMRC miss to open metro corridors under phase-III project

New Delhi: The deadline for launch of metro’s Magenta Line, connecting west Delhi to Noida via IGI Airport, has been pushed to December while the ITO-Kashmere Gate ‘Heritage Corridor’ is likely to be thrown open in March. Magenta Line, where trial runs are underway in stretches, had missed its December-2016 deadline mainly due to delay in completion of train depots and encroachment in few areas, a DMRC official said.

A small section of the line (Line 8), running between Noida, Botanical Garden and Kalkaji, may be opened a month or two after March, before its launch in entirety in December, an official said. “Progress of civil works upto December 2016 is 95.97 percent. Train trials between Botanical Garden to Kalkaji have already started from 27.10.2016.

The line is targeted for completion in December 2017,” according to the progress report prepared by DMRC. However, metro has not set any deadline for the completion of the 59-km-long Pink Line, the longest upcoming corridor under Phase III, as it remains beset by unavailability of land in few pockets.

Pink Line or Line 7, built parallel to the arterial ring road of the national capital, will connect Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar. Once operational, it will considerably reduce the travel time between east and south Delhi. On Line 7, train trials between Majlis Park to Mayapuri are now planned in April and between Mayapuri to Lajpat Nagar by July, an official said. “Progress of civil works upto December 2016 is 89.66 per cent. Land at few locations is still not available. The targets will be worked out when these land pockets are available,” the progress report says about this line.

DMRC chief Mangu Singh had earlier said that both these lines, part of Metro’s Phase III expansion, will be launched in a staggered manner, meaning small sections will be made operational instead of the entire corridors being thrown open in one go. Under the phase-III expansion project being implemented at a cost of around Rs 40,000 crore, a total of 140 km of network will be added to current coverage of 213 km.

Vizag Metro | Visakhapatnam metro to get 98 new coaches for metro trains

Visakhapatnam: The Vizag Metro Rail (VMR) is likely to have as many as 98 coaches against Vijayawada’s 54, official sources in the Amaravati Metro Rail Corporation Limited (AMRC) said.

With a length of 22 metres and width of 2.9 metres, each coach will have a maximum passenger carrying capacity of 275 people. Each train will have three such coaches. The VMR will have one station per kilometre. Each train will move from one station to another within a minute, according to the preliminary designs and estimates of the VMR project.

According to the sources, the metro train coaches are likely to be procured from one of the three proposed coach manufacturing units — Sri City in Chittoor, Salvi in Gujarat and Japanese’s Hitachi Rail.

Meanwhile, existing transport stakeholders like APSRTC said the metro rail would eat into the revenue of the RTC, but will decongest public transportation. Ch Appalanarayana, deputy traffic manager for APSRTC at Dwaraka Bus Station, said each metro is equal to nearly six city buses. Each city bus can carry a maximum of 60 passengers.