On June 17, Alstom inaugurated the metro of Kochi, India, for which the company has built the metros in India. Being entirely designed in Bangalore and manufactured at Sri City in India, Alstom’s project is part of the Government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.
Each Metropolis train delivered to Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) will be able to carry up to 975 passengers and provide 136 seats, with wide gangways and longitudinal seating arrangements allowing passengers to walk from one end of the train to the other, optimizing transport capacity and facilitating easy boarding. As the first Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC)-based metro in India, Alstom’s Urbalis 400 will control the movement of trains precisely, allowing more trains to run on the line at higher speeds in total safety. Alstom has also provided the telecom solution, with a third rail-based 750VDC power supply solution along with the associated SCADA system.
Alstom focused on enhancing the customer experience to all possible aspects of the train. In an interesting design feature, the train conjures up an image of a ‘nettipattam’ on an elephant tusk with eyes that light up when in drives through dark tunnels. The trains are fitted with air conditioning and real time passenger information systems for a high level of passenger comfort. They are also equipped with CCTV, fire & smoke detection system for passenger safety and multiple USB charging points for mobiles – the latter is another first for metros in India.
“Our goal was to deliver an innovative and effective mobility solution for the people of Kochi. Alstom’s smart solutions have helped us meet that aim. Their end-to-end services and close attention to our needs ensured there the lead time was extremely competent and no gaps were caused by multiple-party involvement,” said Elias George, Managing Director and Additional Chief Secretary of Transport of Kochi Metro Rail Limited.
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