The first batch of air-conditioned Metro rakes with aerodynamic nose, built in China, will arrive by January 2010, according to Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL). The project concessionaire, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, is planning to operationalise the 11.4-km corridor by the end of July 2010.

As many as 12 stations on the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro corridor are being constructed by the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd that is formed by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Veolia Transport.

The CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Company that had bagged the Rs 604-crore contract would supply 16 trains over two years. The Chinese rolling stock manufacturer is a 100-year-old subsidiary of the state-owned China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Corporation Ltd.

“The rakes are expected to arrive by January-end. Simultaneously work on the depot is also expected to complete by then,” K P Maheshwari, director of MMOPL, told Newsline.

According to MMOPL, the Metro rakes will be equipped with black boxes in all coaches and motorman’s cabin. Black box is a recorder device that helps record audio environment in the decks of major installations, like in an aircraft. Officials added that the digital boxes in the Metro rakes will store the audio. The rakes will also have closed circuit camera for the continuous surveillance and monitoring of commuters and it would also have an advanced commuter-driver communication system. Electronic route maps would also be provided for the convenience of the passengers.

According to MMOPL, initially there will be only four coaches in a rake and two more coaches would be added after a couple of years. They also said the rakes would have only one class and the frequency of the trains would be five minutes which would decrease gradually after the induction of more rakes on the corridor.

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