India’s First Fully Automated Metro

• 29 Dec 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Prime Minister has inaugurated the country’s first fully automated Metro, (Driverless Metro) on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line.

• He also extended the fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) to the Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

Key Points

• Driverless Metro:
  
  • With this achievement, DMRC has entered the elite league of 7% of the world’s Metro networks where such a facility is available.
    
    • In 2014, only five cities had Metro rail and currently, it is present in 18 cities and the number of Metro users has also increased manifold.
  • The driverless trains will be fully automated, eliminating the possibility of human error.
  • The technology has different levels or Grades of Automation (GoA):
    
    • In GoA 1, trains are run by one driver.
    • In GoA 2 and GoA 3, the role of the driver is reduced to operating doors and for taking over in case of emergencies and the starting and halting of trains is automated.
    • In GoA 4, trains are set on a completely unattended operations mode.
• Significance:
  
  • It uses a braking system in which 50% of the energy goes back into the grid when the brakes are applied, which will save a considerable amount of energy making it an energy-efficient system.
  • In a boost to Make in India, various big companies are involved in the manufacturing of Metro coaches and dozens in the manufacture of Metro components.
  • 130 MW of solar power is currently being used in the operations of Metro rail, which the government intends to increase to 600 MW.
  • The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and Metro Lite models will reduce the distance between major cities and within them.
• National Common Mobility Card:
  
  • It will give access to all modes of transportation and will do away with commuters having to wait in long queues for tokens.
  • It allows users to pay for travel, toll charges and retail shopping, and permits them to withdraw money at the same time.
  • It will enable anyone carrying a RuPay-Debit Card issued in any part of the country to travel on the route.
  • This will not only help provide a common platform for people but will also allow better research data. Researchers will be able to better assess the travelling patterns of people and accordingly suggest the best plan for development
• Other Developmental Works in Delhi:
  
  • Incentivizing electric vehicles (EVs) by giving tax rebates.
  • The old infrastructure of the capital is being transformed into environment-friendly infrastructure based on modern technology.
  • Provision of better living conditions to slum dwellers through regularization of hundreds of colonies.
  • Opening up of new tourist destinations and generation of employment.
  • Work for the new Parliament building under the Central Vista Redevelopment Project will not only give employment to thousands of people from Delhi but will also change the face of the city.

Source: TH