A set of Chennai Metro Rail trains to be operated on the 9 km stretch between Little Mount and Chennai Airport will be fitness tested next week by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
RDSO tests are routine before the trains enter service. These include speed and dynamic parameters and vibration checks. They will also be assessed for passenger comfort. Similar trains are already in operation between Koyambedu and Alandur.
“In the next two months, soon after the inspection, we will receive the certificate of approval; then the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) will be invited to test the next stretch and give the final clearance,” a Chennai Metro Rail official said.
When the new section with six stations opens, Alandur will become a transit station between the two lines, and thus connect CMBT bus stand with the airport.
Speed certification by RDSO is a statutory technical requirement before trains are put to use. Five trains are currently running along the first stretch touching Koyambedu.
In all, 42 trains have been manufactured for Chennai Metro Rail, of which nine were made in Sao Paolo, Brazil and the rest at Sri City near Chennai.
Though the trains can run at a maximum speed of 80 kmph, they are currently operated at an average speed of 35 kmph.
“In next two months, we
will receive certificate
of approval”
