Indian Railways News - Metro

The upcoming Meerut Metro, operating on the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Corridor, will soon undergo trials between Meerut South (Partapur) and Modipuram. The initial trials will take place from Duhai Depot to Meerut South, with plans to extend operations to Meerut's Shaheed Nagar by December. The Meerut Metro, hailed as India's fastest...
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metro service, is being implemented by the NCRTC, the executing agency for the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail project. Featuring a 100% 'Make in India' approach, the 3-coach metro trains are designed to reach a top speed of 120 km/h, exceeding even the Delhi Airport Metro's speed. The trains are fully air-conditioned, offering comfortable seating and a host of modern amenities. Each train can accommodate over 700 passengers, including 173 seated passengers. Notable features include luggage racks, grab handles, CCTV cameras, USB charging points, dynamic route maps, and energy-efficient push-button door opening mechanisms. The trains are equipped with integrated safety features, wheelchair parking, regenerative braking, and are compatible with automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train operation (ATO) systems. The exterior is adorned with a vibrant color scheme of fluorescent green, blue, and orange. Construction was undertaken by Alstom at their Savli factory in Gujarat. The Meerut Metro will operate on a 23 km corridor between Meerut South and Modipuram Depot, serving 13 stations and facilitating seamless travel throughout the city. Four of these stations (Meerut South, Shaheed Nagar, Begam Pul, and Modipuram) will also be served by the 'Namo Bharat' train operating on the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Corridor.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced the successful completion of the first twin tunnels breakthrough on the Janakpuri West - R K Ashram corridor, marking a significant achievement in the Phase IV construction project. The twin tunnels, linking Derawal Nagar to Pulbangash, were excavated by two tunnel boring machines (TBMs)...
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that emerged concurrently at Pulbangash Metro Station. This 3-kilometer-long tunnel drive, spanning over 14 months, is the longest in Phase IV, with the TBMs operating at an average rate of 8.2 meters per tunnel per day. The tunnels, built at a depth of 14-15 meters, pass through densely populated areas like Rana Pratap Bagh and Punjabi Basti Colony, including a section beneath the Najafgarh drain. Despite the challenging environment, the TBMs successfully navigated through submerged water conditions and beneath the under-construction Ghanta Ghar station without causing any damage. The tunnels have an internal diameter of 5.8 meters and feature six cross passages for passenger safety.

Kolkata Metro Railways is facing a shortage of staff, leading to the closure of ticket counters at several stations, including Behala Chowrasta on the Joka-Esplanade route. The metro authority claims that this is part of a plan to make stations 'counterless', with automated ticket machines available for purchasing tokens, smart cards,...
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and QR code-based tickets. However, employee unions criticize the move, claiming that it is forcing passengers to rely on technology and that it is a result of understaffing and a lack of maintenance, leading to declining service quality and frequent disruptions. The move has been met with criticism from passengers and employee unions, who argue that it puts undue pressure on passengers to use technology and that it reflects a broader trend of declining service quality in the Kolkata Metro.

The Kolkata Metro has upgraded its Maidan siding by replacing the steel third rail with an aluminum one. This upgrade is expected to improve efficiency, safety, and reduce maintenance needs. The change is part of a larger modernization effort for the city's transportation infrastructure. Separately, Union Road Transport and Highways...
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Minister Nitin Gadkari criticized contractors for poor road maintenance, warning of consequences like blacklisting and forfeiture of bank guarantees for inadequate performance. In another development, the Supreme Court of India halted bulldozer demolitions across the country until October 1st, requiring court approval for such actions except for cases involving public roads, water bodies, and railway lines. The court will also establish guidelines for demolitions based on municipal laws. Finally, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has invited tenders for the Kharghar-Belapur Coastal Road project in Navi Mumbai, which aims to improve connectivity and regional development in the area.

Pune Metro saw its highest-ever passenger footfall and revenue on September 17th, the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi. A total of 346,633 passengers used the Metro, generating approximately Rs 55 lakh in revenue. The Metro operated for 24 hours, from 6 am on September 17th to 6 am on September...
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18th, due to the expected high volume of passengers. The Vanaz to Ramwadi route had the most passengers (253,790), followed by the Pimpri-Chinchwad to Civil Court route (92,843). The Civil Court to Swargate route is scheduled to open by the end of September. Throughout the ten-day Ganesh festival, Pune Metro extended its service hours, operating until 2 am on the final days. September 14th saw the previous highest footfall at 243,435 passengers.