The wait is finally over as the first Indigenously-built metro coach to be used for the Mumbai Metro Line 2A (Dahisar East to DN Nagar) and Line 7 (Andheri East to Dahisar East) has arrived in Mumbai. The manufacturing company Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), has successfully delivered the first “Made in India” metro rake from its Bengaluru facility.
- On the intervening night on January 28 the rakes entered Mumbai city and were taken to the Charkop depot developed for integrated operations and control of both these metro lines.
- The trial runs will begin from March and will continue for a month.
- Thereafter from May commercial operations of the Metro line will commence.
Silent features:
- Driver-less train compatibility.
- Energy friendly regenerative brake system.
- Stainless steel body with four doors on each side.
- The new coach will enable commuters to travel along with their bicycles to the destinations, as seen in the cities of the developed countries.
The MMRDA has given a contract to BEML for 576 cars/coaches announcing to Rs 4350 crore. Earlier, MMRDA had given a contract to BEML to manufacture 504 cars (84 train sets) costing Rs 3816 crore, however, due to the extension of both Metro Line 2A and 7 the requirement of metro rakes increased.
RA Rajeev, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, “The arrival of the first indigenously built rolling stock has brought us one more step closer to the starting of trial runs of Metro Line 2A and Line 7. These two metro lines are crucial as it will reduce the crowd in suburban local trains as commuters will have an option to take metro travelling between Andheri and Dahisar. These two lines passing from WEH and Andheri Link Road will provide direct connectivity to travellers as several corporate offices are located here. Besides, MMRDA has become a pioneer as it has given the biggest rolling stock manufacturing order to an Indian company. History will remember this. MMRDA has taken significant decisions towards the infrastructural upliftment in Mumbai and MMR region in terms of development of public transportation system besides supporting the Indian government initiatives working hand in hand with Maharashtra government.”
About Metro Line 2A:
The 18.5km, Metro 2A Line that connects Dahisar East to DN Nagar is being constructed at the cost of Rs 6,410 crores. It will comprise of 16 stations – Anand Nagar, Rushi Sankul, I C Colony, Eksar, Don Bosco, Shimpoli, Mahavir Nagar, Kamraj Nagar, Charkop, Malad Metro, Kasturi Park, Bangur Nagar, Goregaon Metro, Adarsha Nagar, Shastri Nagar, and DN Nagar.
About Metro Line 7:
The 16.475 km Metro 7 Line that connects Andheri East to Dahisar East is being constructed at the cost of Rs 6,208 crores. It will comprise of 13 stations – Dahisar (East), Ovaripada, National Park, Devipada, Magathane, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bandongri, Pushpa Park, Pathan Wadi, Aarey, Mahanand, JVLR Junction, Shankarwadi, Andheri (East).
Charkop Metro Depot:
The Charkop Metro Depot will take care of both metro line 2A&7 operation & maintenance work. The said depot is spread on 16 hectares of land parcel is equipped with state of art technology “switch gears’, called gas insulated, which is compact, highly reliable and emits lower carbon footprint.
- The receiving substation at Charkop depot will be feeding 25 KV traction supply and 415 V 3-phase stimulating swift operations of both these Metro lines. The Power supply arrangement is made through underground cables from TATA power at 110KV voltage level from the nearest Malad station.
- The depot will have 18 stabling lines (16 for covered lines and 12 for open), fully automatic car wash plant, fully automatic PIT jack for lifting six coaches and supporting six coupled railcars for unscheduled repairs involving the replacement of one or more boogies, 24 mobile jacks and a catenary maintenance vehicle.
Source: MMRDA-Press Release
