Kolkata Metro is continuously working towards upgrading its infrastructure across the corridors. The move will enhance passenger experience as well as reducing the operational cost with the help of latest and modern technological advancements.
In this context, the Metro Railway has decided to gear its assets for 150 sec headway in the North-South corridor. This will bring a massive change on the commercial services of the country’s first metro network.
What is 150 sec headway?
The ‘150 sec’ headway signifies the operation of trains at an interval of 150 seconds during peak hours. For this, the Metro Railway is replacing the existing steel-made current conducting Third Rail with Aluminium Third Rail in the Blue Line. Once completed, the Kolkata Metro will become the nation’s first and world’s seventh metro services (after Singapore, London, Moscow, Berlin, Munich and Istanbul) where such replacement work of Third Rail has already been done.
Contract for installation of Aluminium Third Rail in Blue Line:-
The Metro Railway has floated a tender and several multinational companies have shown their interests in this tender process. The work will be completed in two phases and targeted to be completed in a duration of two years. The Metro Railway has already installed this latest technology in East-West Metro (Green Line), Joka-Taratala stretch of Purple Line. It will install the new technology in all upcoming corridors.
How Aluminium Third Rail will save the operational cost of Kolkata Metro?
The replacement of steel-made third rail with Aluminium Third Rail from Dum Dum to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar stretch of North-South Metro will ensure 84 per cent reduction in energy loss which is equivalent to Rs 1 Cr per year. In this new system huge amounts of energy will be saved which will in turn help Kolkata Metro to reduce its operational cost. As a result, the entire expenses for replacing this Third Rail could be realized within three years for 150 sec frequency by saving this operational cost.
How will the installation of Aluminium Third Rail maintain air quality inside the tunnels?
The Aluminium Third Rail will require less maintenance and will be highly reliable and stable. In a hot and humid city like Kolkata, this replacement will be very much beneficial and inside the tunnel, lesser heat will be generated during the time of contact of Third Rail Current Collector (TRCC) with this Third Rail. For maintenance activity, the new Third Rail will not require any welding as two such rails can be joined with the help of splice joints. It will help to maintain the air quality inside the tunnels.
Role of Aluminium Third Rail in faster acceleration of Metro trains:-
Due to its superior electrical conductivity, this proposed Aluminium Third Rail has the capacity to reduce the system voltage drops and subsequent energy losses. This less voltage drop in the Third Rail will help to achieve faster acceleration in the running Metros. As a result, for completing one trip lesser time will be required and in turn Metro will acquire the capability to run services at lesser intervals during the peak hours. That will be an improvement in the efficiency of Metro operations.