Two metro lines to become ‘Driverless’

Mumbai: Two metro corridors, line 2B (Dahisar east- Bandra-Mankhurd) and line 7 (Dahisar east-Andheri east) will get driverless trains once they are operational, wherein the trains will be capable of running without an operator on the unattended train operation (UTO) mode. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which is assisting the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) in these metro projects, has initiated the process to procure 63 driverless trains, which will have six coaches each.

This means that Mumbaikars can look forward to witnessing driverless metro in all the three lines. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has also planned to procure driverless trains for Metro line three (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ).

The expected cost of the 63 trains is Rs 3,900 crore and will be delivered within fours years after signing the contract, confirmed the authority. A total of 378 coaches will be procured for the 63 trains. In order to promote the ‘Make in India’ campaign of the government, only 15 trains (90 coaches) will be manufactured at an off-shore facility, while the rest will be manufactured in India. The contractors are expected to source maximum number of equipment and material from within India in order to procure spares locally in the future to ease maintenance. For executing the functioning of driverless trains, all three corridors will be equipped with an advance signaling system — Communication Based Train Control (CBTC). Details like speed, location and braking distance of the train will be monitored in a control room, which will have a supervisor.

Although the commissioning dates of these two lines is set by 2019, it is likely the deadline will be missed. This is because DMRC has stated the bidding process will take anywhere between to 6-12 months and the delivery will be done within four years after signing the contract. Thus, the lines are expected to be operational a year late.