KOCHI: The Kochi metro is all set for the all-important inspection by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), which is a prerequisite for the project to be made operational, after it achieved an important milestone by securing the certification of its advanced signalling system on Vishu day.
The inspection by CMRS, South Zone, Bengaluru, “is likely to happen shortly,” a release issued by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) here on Saturday said.
A successful trial run of the advanced communication-based train control (CBTC) was conducted on Friday.
“At the end of the successful signalling trial and integration of automatic train control with the operation control centre at Muttom, the CBTC signalling system has become fully functional and has been conferred with the ‘ISA’ certificate,” the release added.
According to the DMRC, the successful safety examination conducted by Italy-based Bureau Veritas, an independent third-party safety assessor, is an “important event in metro operations.” Technical experts from the company headquarters in Italy had visited the Kochi metro and conducted a detailed examination based on which the ISA certificate was issued. The certificate is extremely significant when it comes to the operation of trains and the future course of action, the release said.
Incidentally, CBTC is one of the two advanced technologies being used by the DMRC for the first time in metro operations in the country. The other technological experiment is the installation of a 750v DC electrical traction with regenerative breaking system for train operations through the third rail system.
Safety certificates for four sets of trains have also been issued. Meanwhile, the fire safety inspection of all the 11 stations between Aluva and Palarivattom has been done and necessary certificates issued. The Electrical Inspector to the Government of India (EIG) has inspected the power supply installations as well as traction supply through the third rail.
“With the receipt of the ISA certificate, fire safety certificate, and EIG certificate, the Kochi metro is ready for inspection by the CMRS,” the release said.
