By IANS,
New Delhi: Trial runs were carried out Wednesday on Delhi Metro’s first standard gauge line connecting north and north-west parts of the national capital.
Standard gauge lines are lesser in width compared to the Metro’s existing broad gauge lines and are being introduced in the capital to fit international standards.
“The Delhi Metro started trial run of India’s first standard gauge Metro train on the under-construction 15.15 km long Inderlok-Mundka line,” Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.
Trials will continue on the line with the first standard gauge prototype train along 6.8 km between five stations from Mundka to Peeragarhi for a week.
“It will undergo dynamic testing for about a week initially to check its suspension, safety, reliability and comfort to passengers,” Dayal said.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has so far operated only on broad gauge lines, five feet six inches wide.
However, three lines of Metro’s Phase II – namely Inderlok to Mundka line, Airport Express Line and Central Secretariat to Badarpur line – are being built on standard gauge – four feet 8.5 inches wide – to match international norms.
“DMRC will be purchasing 48 standard gauge trains from a consortium of Mitsubishi, ROTEM, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML). Of these, three including the prototype being tested, have already arrived at Mundka depot,” Dayal said.
The spokesperson said after obtaining necessary clearances from Lucknow-based Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) by the first week of August, more trial runs would be conducted.
The trains are equipped with Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras inside and outside the coaches, power supply connections to charge mobiles and laptops, better humidity control, microprocessor controlled disc brakes, and external display boards on side windows of each coach.
The Inderlok-Mundka line is slated for completion by March 2010. However, DMRC officials claim that it will be opened to public by the end of this year.
Cities like Cairo, Madrid, Bangkok, Manila and Beijing operate on standard gauge keeping in mind Metro alignments have to pass through heavily congested areas and standard gauge permits sharper curves.
“Constant upgradation of technology for standard gauge coaches take place worldwide,” Dayal added.