Today's Cancelled Trains
Shenoy Nagar
07:56
Showing posts with label Koyambedu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koyambedu. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 July 2016
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Chennai Metro Rail plans to go 100% Solar in a year
Chennai Metro Rail plans to go 100% Solar in a year
Photovoltaic systems to be installed in stations. CMRL officials have identified areas in stations along the Koyambedu-Alandur stretch for installing Solar Panels. Metro rail to save 1.12 crore each year by using solar power
Chennai: Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL) plans to go fully solar in phase one by next year. While 1 MW of solar power would be available in a few months as work has already started, the CMRL will have another 8 MW of solar power at its disposal later next year. The plan is not just to make it self-sufficient but also feed the surplus power to the Tangedco grid, officials said.
Solar PV systems would be installed in elevated stations, depot and ancillary buildings of underground stations.
CMRL has estimated the available roof-top area for solar projects to be approximately 40,000 square metres and about 20,000 sq.m. at the depots. They have identified areas in stations along the Koyambedu-Alandur stretch that can be put to use.
The first service of Chennai Metro Rail was started a year ago between Koyambedu and Alandur and the next stretch between Little Mount and Chennai airport is likely to be opened in August end. Chennai Metro Rail has identified spaces for solar generation in the next stretch between Little Mount and Chennai airport too.
For exploring the potential to tap solar energy in the roof spaces of stations, Chennai Metro Rail has floated expression of interest where vendors can look at ways to implementing this project.
“The work on the first project of generating 1 MW power has already started and will be completed in a few months. The 8 MW project may take up to a year. But we are hoping complete it as soon as possible,” an official said.
For the first time, CMRL will be using solar power from the third week of July for its administrative office as well as operating trains. The CMRL has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Su-Kam, a solar power company to install a 1MW grid on the Koyambedu CMRL depot.
It is expected that CMRL will be saving over 1.12 crore each year by using solar power. “We are hoping that Su-Kam will commission the solar power project in our depot by next month. This will be the first solar power unit in CMRL. We are ready to increase the solar power generation up to 8MW and we have expressed our interest,” a senior CMRL official said. The Southern Railway headquarters in Chennai is also setting up a solar power project on its terrace and the power generated will be used for office purpose.
The CMRL has identified around 29 locations with a total rooftop area of 79,759 sq m to install 8MW capacity rooftop solar plant. “We have called for the expression of interest for the project. It will take one or two years to commission the project with 8MW,” the official said.
As per Su-Kam, each unit will be charged at 5.95 and the PPA has been signed for 25 years. The 1MW grid tie solar photovoltaic system on the terrace of the Head Office of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd shall generate over 5000 units of electricity per day.”The entire system comprises 20 units of 50 Kw grid tie string inverters fitted with 3,200 units of 315Wp solar panels,” Venkat Kanna, assistant manager of Su-Kam told.
We believe solar energy is going to play a major role in addressing the energy crisis the country is currently facing. Su-Kam has played a key role in helping organisations go solar and we have been working closely with Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, he said.
Source:RailNews
Thursday, 27 August 2015
Koyambedu
08:39
Work on Chennai Airport-Meenambakkam Metro Rail stations has also started
Work on Chennai Airport-Meenambakkam Metro Rail stations has also started
Chennai: A few months after the first stretch of Chennai Metro Rail from Koyambedu to Alandur was commissioned, the trial run for the next stretch is all set to start soon.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), work is in progress to start trial run from Officers’ Training Academy to Little Mount Metro Rail stations by the end of September or early October. “The track work from Alandur station to St. Thomas Mount station and from Little Mount station to Officers’ Training Academy station is complete. The electrification for this stretch will also be done in the coming weeks,” an official said.
The officials have also started track work from Chennai Airport to Meenambakkam Metro Rail stations.
The trial run will go on for at least 6-8 months before launching services on this stretch. Simultaneously, construction of stations along the stretches has been in progress.
The State government had announced sometime back that the stretch between Chennai airport and Little Mount would be launched in March 2016.
The first stretch of Chennai Metro Rail between Koyambedu and Alandur (10 km) was thrown open to public in the last week of June.
Friday, 31 July 2015
Koyambedu
21:02
Chennai Metro Rail ,new woman Chief Security Officer appointed
Woman Cop appointed as Chief Security Officer of Chennai Metro Rail
Chennai: Senior Superintendent of police K Bhavaneeshwari has been appointed chief security officer (CSO) of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL), a newly created post.
After the Koyambedu- Alandur metro rail line was inaugurated by chief minister J Jayalalithaa on June 29, director general of police Ashok Kumar, state intelligence chief P Kannappan and city police commissioner S George discussed security arrangements at the metro stations.
“She will be in charge of providing safety and security to the assets of the metro rail. She will also carry out anti-terror drills and anti-sabotage checks,” a police officer said.
Bhavaneeshwari will be responsible for maintaining law and order and tackling crime on metro rail property, including at work sites. Two private agencies currently handle security at metro rail stations and are monitored by a retired superintendent of police.
The 10-km stretch Koyambedu-Alandur metro rail line has seven stations and there will 32 stations along two corridors when the entire network becomes operational.
Once completed, there could be five to six metro rail police stations for the network, each with six to seven metro rail stations under its control.
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Safety and security
12:42
Tamil Nadu State Police to handle Security Arrangements of Metro Rail system in Chennai
Tamil Nadu State Police to handle Security Arrangements of Metro Rail system in Chennai
Chennai (MAS): With the initial euphoria over the launch of the metro slowly dying down, the senior police officials are now seriously looking at the safety and security of Chennai Metro Rail, which became operational two weeks ago.
Security arrangements for the Chennai Metro Rail, will in all likelihood, be taken over by the State police with private security guards, who are currently overseeing the security, complementing them for screening baggage.
The state DGP Ashok Kumar and Chennai city police commissioner S. George on Saturday took a ride on the metro from Koyambedu to Alandur along with a team of senior officers. The officers reportedly held talks with Pankaj Kumar Bansal, managing director of CMRL over safety and security at the stations. At present, CMRL has deployed some private security guards at the newly opened stations.
Police sources said discussions to this effect are at a rudimentary stage, while another senior police official agreeing with this said they were actually discussing what force should be posted at Metro Railway stations.
“It has been made clear that the security at the stations will be taken over by the State police. We have expressed our concern on the current security. We have also pointed out additional security arrangements to be made at some key locations”, he said. A huge project of this magnitude needs fool-proof security system, police sources said. “There should be a dedicated force for the security at Metro Rail stations on the lines of Delhi Metro,” a police officer said. In Delhi, CISF is in charge of the security of the metro rail. In Mumbai, there is a special state industrial security force to handle security of specialised areas.
CMRL officials have informed the State police that CMRL will monitor the CCTV cameras installed in stations exclusively from their control centre with an assurance that they will share footage as and when required by the State police.
The State police chief Ashok Kumar, ADGP L&O TK Rajendran, IGP-Intelligence P Kannappan, and City Police Commissioner, S George, accompanied by Metro Rail officials took a ride on the Metro on Saturday afternoon in order to inspect the security arrangements.
“The ride was primarily to inspect present security arrangements installed by the CMRL”, another top officer observed.
During the inspection, the top cops were walked through the operation of the CMRL between Koyambedu and Alandur stations.
Comparing the proposed security arrangements for CMRL with other metro rail transportation in other cities, the security of Bengaluru Metro Rail is vested with Bengaluru City Police.
The Jaipur Metro Rail security is entrusted with the Rajasthan Police. Delhi Metro Rail security is vested with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and Railway Protection Force (RPF) takes guard in Kolkata Metro Rail.
“We need to create a separate force, headed by an officer at least in the rank of DIG, for the Metro Rail. It should be done on priority basis,” the officer said. The private security personnel are not trained to handle sabotage, defacing or other criminal acts at the stations. “We are not taking about the safety and security inside the railway stations alone. We need to keep a vigil externally as well,” another officer pointed out.
Saturday, 4 July 2015
Smart Card
08:01
More than Twenty Minutes stay in Metro Station liable to penalised -CMRL
Chennai (MAS): If you stay more than 20 minutes at the platform of metro stations without boarding a train, you are liable to be penalised.
Chennai Metro Rail officials said the smart card won’t work when trying to enter into the station and the ticket checking official could easily find out that you have overstayed. And this could result in the commuter having to pay the penalty even if he hasn’t used the service.
However, Chennai Metro has not yet notified this and an official promised that announcements would be put out in the stations to make commuters aware of the consequences of either loitering or waiting too long on the platform.
Meanwhile, Chennai Metro Rail officials are planning to set up kiosks at the station entrance, providing food, sweets, bakery items and confectioneries, stationary gifts, mobiles and accessories and bookstores. A Metro official said tenders have been floated in this regard.
“We will also be setting up ATMs,” said the official. Currently, some of the stations have two ATMs and this could function with the availability of network.
It is learnt that Koyambedu, Alandhur, Arumbakkam and Vadapalani stations would have food court and beverage kiosks. A total of 99 square metres have been marked in these four stations for this purpose, sources said.
Similarly, sweets, bakery items and confectioneries, stationary gifts, mobiles and accessories and bookstores kiosks would be set up in all the seven stations.
For the public, the biggest hurdle is lack of multi-modal integration. The proposed mini-buses are nowhere to be seen. And people from far-off places like chinmaya Nagar, Valsaravakkam, Anna Nagar or residential areas in Vadapalani find it difficult to access Chennai Metro.
CPM, VCK demand reduction in fare
Chennai: Joining the Metro Rail rid, CPM and VCK reiterated the demand for slashing the ticket prices, while Tamil Maanila Congress leader GK Vasan sought integration of the project with MRTS. Accompanied by party functionaries, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan started his journey from Alandur. Waiting in the queue, he himself bought the tickets and sat with other passengers during the travel. He told reporters that people felt that that the Rs.40 fare fixed for Alandur to Koyambedu was very high.
Tuesday, 30 June 2015
Chennai Metro Rail Operated by Young Woman Pilot on Inauguration Day
With a Woman behind Controls, Chennai Metro Rail makes Maiden Journey
Chennai (MAS): It was 12.02 pm on Monday and barely moments remained before Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was to flag off the city’s first Metro train service from Alandur to Koyambedu.
Up on platform two, where the train that would make the first journey lay wait, there was an unusual crowd near the motorman’s cabin. Something curious had caught the eyes of the onlookers. As this scribe took a closer look, it became known that the people were peeking in to see how the control room looked like. But more than that, they were interested in the person who was going to be operating those controls, once the green signal from Secretariat came.
A young woman was behind the wheel today when the Chennai Metro rolled out for the first time on a signal from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
At 12.16 pm, 27-year-old A Preethi, wrote her name into the city’s modern history when she operated the first Metro train service. “In the morning before she left for work, she told me how happy and excited she was to be given this opportunity. But she was not nervous. She kept telling that it was no big achievement,” said Preethi’s mother, A Shanti.
Preethi’s mother and her four-year-old niece were a part of the journey, taking in the experience, as the rakes whizzed out of Alandur amid huge applause from the occupants, and sped into Ekkattuthangal station. “Since her childhood, she had always shown a keen interest in driving vehicles. Be it a two-wheeler or four-wheeler, she has driven it all and now she is operating a train,” said the proud mother.
As early as 9 am, Alandur station was abuzz with activity as camera crews had begun to make their presence felt. By noon, a sizeable crowd – majority of them AIADMK party workers – had arrived to make the inaugural run successful.
Since the first passenger service was only scheduled at 1.30 pm, members of the public who had luckily gained entry by then were busy clicking selfies and taking group shots. Wide open smiles adorned every single one of their faces because those images were going to go up on Facebook, Instagram and other social networking sites.
Curiosity was sky high. People could hardly resist taking a peek into the air-conditioned rakes just to get a feel and touch of it before the initial run. As soon as the service doors opened, people swarmed in to take their seats and in the blink of an eye, the train was at full capacity and the city on the cusp of realising a major achievement.
Monday, 29 June 2015
CM Jayalalithaa Flags-off first Chennai Metro Rail; Woman Driver steers Inaugural Run
CM Jayalalithaa Flags-off first Chennai Metro Rail; Woman Driver steers Inaugural Run
Chennai (MAS): The first phase of the much anticipated multi-crore Metro Rail chugged into Chennai on Monday, with Chief Minister JJayalalithaa flagging off the inaugural service steered by a woman driver.
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The route dedicated to the public is an elevated structure covering a distance of 10.15 km, consisting of Alandur, Ekkathuthangal, Ashok Nagar, Vadapalani, Arumbakkam and Koyambedu Railway stations besides the yard at the last stop, a state government release here said.
The route of the train has been mainly on the busy 100 ft road and would cater to lakhs of commuters when fully completed.
The first train having four coaches, which left at 12.15 PM from Alandur to Koyambedu was driven by A Preethi, a 28- year-old diploma holder in engineering from Government Dharmambal Polytechnic College here.
The flower decked sprawling and swanky Alandur metro station, the biggest in Chennai, was brimming with activity, with enthusiastic passengers eager to board the first train.
“I wanted to board the first metro train, I hope metro makes travel easier and a pleasure,” said K Ramesh a young executive.
The 45 km Metro Rail project is estimated to cost Rs 14,600 crore and would cover two routes– the 23.085 km Wannarapet to Airport section– and the 21.961 km stretch from Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount.
Of the total expenditure, Centre’s contribution is 15 percent as share capital and five percent as loans, while that of the Tamil Nadu government is at 15 percent in share capital and 5.78 percent as loans, the release said, adding the state has released its entire share of funds.
The rest 59.22 percent has been sourced as loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the release said.
A sum of Rs 1143.31 crore had been spent on the scheme between 2007-08 and 2010-11 and an additional Rs 9608.63 crore from that year till date, it said adding a total sum of Rs 10,751.94 crore was the expenditure since work commenced on the Metro rail activity.
A lot of people took to Twitter to share pictures and videos of the metro’s first run.
Sunday, 28 June 2015
venkaiah Naidu
07:38
Chennai Metro Rail flagged off tomorrow
Chennai Metro Rail flagged off tomorrow
Chennai (MAS): Chennai Metro Rail is all set to commence operations in the next few days. Officials are hopeful this will increase usage of public transportation ‘substantially’ and will reduce the commuters time.
Last week Parliamentary Affairs and Union Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu told reporters in Chennai that first phase of project is ready and that once the electoral code of conduct is over, it will be inaugurated. He was referring to R K Puram by-election, in which Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa is contesting, which is scheduled for June 27.
According to earlier reports, initial plans were that the first stretch of 10 kilometres will be opened by December, 2013, which was delayed due to various reasons.
On Monday, authorities have showcased the Operations Control Centre, installed by Siemens. This nerve centre will be controlling the entire rail movement, including speed of the trains, while the driver’s role would be to start the train and to open and close the doors of the coaches.
Human intervention will be very less, unless there is an emergency, said Chennai Metro officials.
While the total length of the Phase I of the project is 45 kms, Washermenpet to Airport 23.1 kms and Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount 22 kms, initially nine trains will be deployed for operations from Koyambedu to Alandur covering a distance of 10 kms. Each train can carry 1,276 passengers, including 176 sitting and 1,100 standing. Minimum fare will be in the range of Rs 10 to around Rs 30-40.
The project is expected to reduce commuting time by 75 per cent from one end of the city to another. Currently the average bus speed in the city is around 17-18 kms per hour and this is expected to come down further to 12 kms per hour, on the other side average speed of the Metro train will be around 35 kmph.
Take for instance, from Koyambedu it will take 17 minutes to reach St Thomas Mount, a distance of 10.1 km, with the train stopping at each station for 30 seconds, while by road it would take around 30-45 minutes depending upon the traffic conditions. There will be six stations in the Metro line between Koyambedu and St Thomas Mount.
Work in the 27-hectare Koyambedu depot is completed and it is controlled by a separate centre — Depot Control Centre. For the first time in India, the depot has ballast-less (small gravels) track.
The depot has a total track length of 14,314 metres. There are 12 stabling lines or storage lines. Each line is 300 metre long, and can accommodate 36 trains of four cars and 24 trains of six cars. In future, space is available to construct one more stabling shed to accommodate 45 trains of four cars or 30 trains of six cars with 15 additional lines, he said.
The first few coaches manufactured by Alstom were imported from the company’s plant in Brazil. Subsequently, the coaches were manufactured at Sri City Andhra Pradesh. In the first lot, a total of 42 trains will be supplied to the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL). Of this, 25 train sets have so far arrived at the CMRL depot.
Phase II of the project
It was estimated, the phase II of Chennai Metro Rail Project would cost around Rs 36,000 crore. The Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has zeroed in three corridors for the phase II development, according to senior official from CMRL.
Already a presentation was made to the Government for the phase II, which will run for around 60 kms with three co-corridors. The entire stretch in the Phase II would be underground.
Facts about Chennai Metro
- Total corridor length 45 kms including Washermenpet to Airport 23.1 km and Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount 22 kms. Originally it was estimated project cost would be around Rs 14,600 crore, but now increased to around Rs 20,000 crore
- Initially nine trains will be used for operations from Koyambedu to Alandur covering a distance fo 10 kms
- Each train can carry 1,276 passengers – 176 seating and 1,100 standing.and will run at 35 kmphr on an average while maximum is 80 kms per hour
- Services will run 19 hours of the day – from 6 am to midnight
- Minimum fare may be Rs 10 and the maximum may be Rs 30-40.
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
Chennai Metro Rail to shuttle every 10-15 minutes – Free rides by CMRL for few weeks
Chennai Metro Rail to shuttle every 10-15 minutes – Free rides by CMRL for few weeks
Chennai (MAS): Chennaiites can expect a metro rail to shuttle between Koyambedu and Alandur for every 10 minutes. That is the maximum frequency CMRL (Chennai Metro Rail Limited) can maintain with the existing fleet at its depot. Of the 25 trains at the depot, nine have been cleared after necessary tests, which include the mandatory 1,600km run on tracks. However, all trains are run up to 2,500km on the corridor before being cleared for commercial run. With the nine-trains that have met the qualifying conditions, the frequency can be maintained at 10-15minutes for the commercial run, a senior CMRL officer said.
In the initial stages, seven or eight trains might be running on commercial basis as a couple of them will be retained at the depot as standby, highly placed CMRL sources told. The frequency can be increased further (less than 10 minutes) in future by adding more trains to the fleet after the completion of the tests.
60 CCTV cams per station
All metro stations will be put under intense CCTV surveillance. Each station will have a minimum of 30 cameras. The average number of cameras will be between 50 and 60, CMRL officers said. The operational control centre at Koyambedu has a 24 grid monitor (video wall) in which all stations, particularly the platforms can be monitored using the CCTV surveillance.
Daily FC for trains
Unlike the EMU and MR TS, each metro train will be issued a mandatory fitness certificate before the train rolls out of the Koyambedu depot to the elevated corridor around 5am daily. The train, which will be washed the previous night when it rolls in after completing the final trip, will go through the stabling and inspection bay where the standard checks will be done and final fitness certificate will be issued, CMRL officials explained.
Free rides for few weeeks
Chennai Metro Rail may offer free rides for the public during the first few weeks of operations, sources said. Officials are considering this option to boost their image and draw people into using Chennai Metro Rail, sources added. “This is an attempt to increase the ridership in the Chennai Metro Rail; but the proposal has not been finalised as yet,” a source said. The minimum fare may be Rs. 10 and the maximum may be Rs. 30-40, say sources.
Nine trains will run on the first stretch from Koyambedu to Alandur, a distance of 10 km that will initially be operationalised. “Initially, the there will be a train running every 10 minutes and later depending on the increase in the number of people travelling by Metro Rail, it may increase,” another official said.
Chennai Metro Rail that was launched in 2009 is expected to be operationalised from Koyambedu to Alandur anytime after the by-election for R.K. Nagar constituency is over on Saturday. “The dates are not clear as yet. We expect the operations to begin in the first week of July,” an official said.
Though the Metro Rail service, going by the original plan, was scheduled to have been operationalised in October last year, there were various delays in the commissioning of this project.
Facts about Chennai Metro Rail:
Corridor Length: Washermenpet to Airport 23.1 km; Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount 22.0 km; Total 45.1 kms built at an Estimated total project cost: Rs.14,600 crores.
Initially nine trains will be used for operations from Koyambedu to Alandur which covers a distance of 10 km with Passenger capacity of each train being 1,200 at an Average speed of 35 kmph and Maximum operating speed: 80 km/hour. The duration of halt in each station: 30 seconds. The train operation plan provides for 4.5 minutes Headway with 4 – Car train in Corridor – I & II during peak hours and 10 minutes Headway during lean hours in the initial stage of train service.
Koyambedu to Alandur: 15 minutes
Running of services for 19 hours of the day (6 AM to Midnight)
The trains run on a fixed time table everyday. The timetable is prepared the previous day factoring in frequency, peak and non-peak hour etc. An announcement system is in place to inform passengers of an incoming train.
In case of an emergency, a passenger can get in touch with train operator. He communicates with the operation control centres who in turn intimate it to the next station controller to deboard the passenger.
Operation Control Centre (OCC) is the nerve centre where all trains of Chennai Metro Rail will be monitored.
Currently, there are seven people in OCC including chief controller and traffic controllers.
If the driver falls ill during train operation, the train automatically applies emergency brake and stops.
If there is a problem at the OCC, the control is transferred to backup stations like Ashok Nagar and Koyambedu.
The trains are currently tested on both manual and automatic mode.
Chennai Metro Rail trains are equipped to run without train operators. But for a while, they will run with train operators.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
venkaiah Naidu
07:03
Chennai Metro to begin Operations after by-elections
Chennai Metro to begin Operations after by-elections
Chennai: Minister for Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said the first phase of the Chennai Metro Rail would be inaugurated immediately after the by-election in R K Nagar. “I am happy to inform you that the first phase of the Chennai Metro Rail is ready. Once the Code of Conduct is over, it will be inaugurated,” he told at a meeting.
Last month, the Ministry of Urban Development amended the Metro Rail General Rules, 2013, to allow operations on single line.
So, from Koyambedu to Ashok , Chennai Metro will run with operations on both tracks and from then on till Alandur, on a single track, the Ministry said in a release last month.
Friday, 5 June 2015
wrap advertising
07:57
Chennai Metro Rail calls for advertisements on trains
Chennai Metro Rail calls for advertisements on trains
Chennai (MAS): Amid indications that Chennai Metro Rail may roll out ‘soon’ between Koyambedu to Alandur, officials have begun to make plans for putting up advertisements in trains and stations.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), the advertisements will augment their non-operational revenue.
They also expect the advertisements to “promote Chennai Metro as the gateway to Chennai tourism by highlighting its heritage and cultural beauty and promote the city as amongst India’s top three destinations for advertising,” the official said.
“We have just floated the tenders; it may take at least a month for us to finalise the project. Some companies have already enquired about the provisions for advertisements,” a CMRL official said.
Officials have already earmarked places for putting up advertisements in stations along this 10-km stretch from Koyambedu to Alandur and also in the trains, the official added.
The trains may also have ‘wrap advertising’, CMRL officials said.
Places earmarked already for putting up advertisements in stations and also on the trains
Friday, 29 May 2015
Safety and security
11:21
Chennai Metro rail completes formalities to open first line
Chennai Metro rail completes formalities to open first line
Chennai (MAS): Metro rail’s first line has completed all formalities for commissioning. The 10km Koyambedu-Alandur line may get clearance for operation in a few days as the commissioner of metro rail safety (CMRS) inspected the line between Ashok Nagar and Alandur on Monday and Tuesday.
The government will be able to commission the line after the clearance comes. Sources say that the by-election in R K Nagar constituency may not be a stumbling block for the project to be opened by the state government as the election commission has notified exemptions to the ban on declaring new projects.
A senior official of metro rail said, “We expect the clearance to come anytime. The last of the inspections has been completed.” CMRS S K Mittal visited Ashok Nagar station, Sidco station and Alandur, and checked the line, electrical circuits and other systems.
Metro rail officials do not expect any objection from the safety commissioner, and considers the visit as more or less a formality as the ministry of urban development amended rules to allow single-line operation on the stretch in spite of a technical handicap caused by incomplete work.
The commissioner did not inspect the line from Ashok Nagar to Alandur when he arrived a few weeks ago to inspect trains and stations because a crossover line near Alandur metro station that allows trains to change track and return along the parallel track was not ready. “This is a necessity as per railway rules because trains are not allowed to run on single track back and forth. Now, the rule has been amended allowing such mode of operation to prevent the metro rail project from getting delayed,” said an official.
Services may get truncated because a train that reaches will have to use the same line to return to Ashok Nagar. This will affect frequency as trains cannot be run on Ashok Nagar-Alandur line till a train returns from Alandur.
Sources said the technical glitch happened because the construction contract for the elevated line got delayed though work was awarded five years ago. “This forced metro rail to drop St Thomas Mount (from the first operable stretch) and start pushing for opening of the line from Koyambedu to Alandur. But the line was not designed to allow trains to turnaround at Alandur,” said an official. Such ad hoc decision caused confusion, and the ministry amended the rules to prevent further delay.
Metro rail officials started sending documents to the commissioner of metro rail safety in January. Truck loads of paper containing drawings, designs and other details were sent to Bengaluru. Mittal conducted the first inspection in March, when he checked the trains. The second part of the safety audit inspection was held for two days, from April 20 when he checked Koyambedu, CMBT, Arumbakkam, Vadapalani and Ashok Nagar stations, besides tracks, operations control centre, train running procedures and depots.
