With communication-based train control technology on the anvil for Kochi Metro, trains will be able to pass in each direction every 90 seconds.
This will help reduce the length and other dimensions of coaches, which will in turn pave the way for the trains travelling faster at steep curves. This will help increase the frequency of trains too. The Aluva-MG Road-Pettah alignment of the metro has numerous curves, especially on the western parts of the city.
“The cabin volume within coaches might reduce, but more number of commuters can be transported in the metro within a given time by adopting the new communication-based technology,” said sources associated with the project, following the third meeting of the sub committee for modernising the detailed project report of Kochi Metro, that was held on Saturday at New Delhi.
A decision on whether each metro train will have three or six coaches will be decided at the Director Board meeting of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) that is slated for April 4. In all probability the trains will have three or more coaches, but will be more frequent.
The communication-based train control technology utilises the communication between the train and equipment on the track for managing traffic. It helps identify the exact position of a train more accurately than traditional methods which depend on signal systems.
By adopting this, the efficiency and safety of the metro are expected to increase.
