The Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), Southern Circle, Bengaluru, will conduct the statutory inspection of Aluva-Palarivattom elevated stretch of Kochi Metro for three days from May 3. This will be the final inspection by the CMRS before the launch of commercial services by Kochi Metro in its first phase between Aluva and Palarivattom. The commissioning of the first phase depends on the approval granted by the CMRS.
If the CMRS grants a conditional approval, metro authorities will have to comply with those conditions before going ahead with the commercial services.
On the other hand, if the approval is unconditional then the services can be launched as early as a week thereafter.
During the course of the inspection, the CMRS will undertake a threadbare assessment of various aspects including telecom facilities, facilities at stations and station depots, depot maintenance facility, operational control centre, operation safety facilities, sub stations and passenger amenities.
The last inspection by the CMRS was in January this year when it undertook a two-day inspection of Kochi Metro trains. It was aimed at assessing various safety features of the three-coach trains and their comfort level and ride quality. At that time three of the total 25 trains had arrived in Kochi from Alstom India’s manufacturing unit in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh.
Metro authorities propose to commission the stretch between Palarivattom and Maharaja’s within three months after the commissioning of the Aluva-Palarivattom stretch.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had managed an important milestone in the project when it undertook a successful trial run of the advanced signalling system, Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) last Friday.
The DMRC regarded the successful safety examination conducted by Italy-based Bureau Veritas, an independent third party safety assessor, as an ‘important event in metro operation.’ The technical experts from company headquarters at Italy visited Kochi Metro and conducted a detailed examination based on which the ‘ISA’ certificate was issued. The ‘ISA’ certificate is very significant for train operation and future course of action.
The CBTC, incidentally, is one of the two advanced technologies being used by the DMRC for the first time in metro operations anywhere in the country.
The other technological experiment is the installation of 750v DC electrical traction with regenerative breaking system for train operation through third rail system.
Safety certificate for four sets of trains has also been received. Meanwhile, fire safety inspection of all 11 stations between Aluva and Palarivattom has been completed and necessary certificates obtained.
Electrical inspector to Government of India (EIG) has inspected the power supply installations and the traction supply through the third rail.
