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Know your Metro better

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Express news service

Posted: Mar 31, 2008 at 0139 hrs IST

Kolkata, March 30 The Metro Railways has become a lifeline for the commuters in Kolkata.
The recent incident of an hour-long disruption of its service that threw life out of gear only reconfirmed the significance of the Metro for average Kolkatans. The Indian Express profiles the world’s cheapest Metro up close and presents the facts you were not aware of; plans, challenges and targets of the country’s first-ever Metro Railways. On an average of 4 lakh commuters travel by the Metro each day. With the opening of the southern extension, it will add another 5 lakh commuters a day

FACT FILES:
* Foundation stone was laid in the year 1972
* No of stations:
Underground: 15
Elevated: 1
Surface: 1
* Distance between stations (existing)
Average: 1.020 km
Maximum : 2.151 km(Dum Dum to Belgachia)
Minimum : 0.597 km (Central to Chandni Chowk)
* Total length: 16.32 km

SOUTHERN EXTENSION
* Sanctioned in 1999-2000
* Route length: 8.70 km
* Number of stations: 6 — Kudghat, Bansdroni, Naktala, Gariabazar, Pranabnagar and New Garia
* Expected schedule: Tollygunge-Naktala to become operational by September. Entire project is scheduled to be operational by June 2009.

PUNCTUALITY
* The Metro Railways in Kolkata have excelled in being punctual. Since 2001, the Metro has recorded a punctuality of over 99 per cent.
* The best ever punctuality of 99.91 per cent was achieved in January 2008.
* Train delays and detention due to technical faults in the rake have declined drastically from 147 cases in 2000-01 to only 39 cases in 2007 (till January 2008).
In the forthcoming years, the Metro has planned for an upgradation programme. The targets are:
* To increase service, running speed shall be increased to 70 kmph from existing 55 kmph.
* The existing running time between Dum Dum to Tollygunj is 32 minutes. With new rakes running time can be reduced to 29 minutes.
* New rakes equipments rating enhanced to meet dense crush load of 3140 persons per rake. The existing crush load capacity per rake is 2600.

Did you know?
* Unlike other Metros, Kolkata Metro developed its own sources for spares in and around Kolkata. It does not have to import maintenance spares and rakes.
* The Metro has launched an energy saving drive in keeping with the Kyoto Protocol. Even with 12 per cent more trains inducted between 2001-02 to 2006-07, the electric bill has been slashed by more than 15.5 per cent.

IN THE PIPELINE
* New items are to be added for comfortable and safe journey.
* Underground stations and tunnel are already air-conditioned. New coaches shall be forced ventilated.
* Carbon Dioxide level inside the coach shall be less than 3000 ppm and air flow shall be minimum 6000 m3/ h/ coach. That will ensure less stuffy coaches.
* Wider vestibule in new coaches.
* State-of-the-art Passenger Information System.
* Photocromatic and UV Protected window-door glasses.
* Touch screen based fault diagnostic and event recording system.
* Electrically operated door in new rakes.
* New stations shall be provided with elevators for elderly persons, women and physically challenged persons. Escalators shall be provided for others.
* Lights, fan, AC and ventilation system of all the stations can be controlled centrally from the Metro Bhawan Control Room by state-of-the-art system from May 2008.
* Driver will not be able to run train above pre-designed speed.
* Driver shall be able to talk directly with control-room using GSM (Railway) technology.

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