Delhi Metro new rail coaches from Germany

Delhi Metro to fly in swanky new rail coaches today from Germany for a smoother ride

Delhi Metro to fly in swanky new rail coaches today from Germany for a smoother ride

Smoother, more silent and safer; the Delhi Metro ride is poised for a futuristic upgrade.

Dream rail: A photograph of the new Metro coach

The first lot of the swanky new Metro coaches, fitted with surveillance cameras, a more effective braking mechanism and with better sound-proof interiors, will be air delivered by the Canadian manufacturing company Bombardier on Thursday morning from one of its plants in Germany.

This is for the first time the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is having coaches delivered by air, just to meet the increasing passenger rush on its network as efficiently as possible. The cost of the air-lift, a whopping Rs 28 lakh, will be borne by the manufacturer.

With the Metro ferrying more than eight lakh passengers every day across the city, and the rush having increased significantly after the inauguration of the Jahangirpuri link, the DMRC had requested Bombardier to make early delivery. The coaches, to be assembled in Delhi over the next two months, will run on the Central Secretariat-Jahangirpuri Line.

"Eight new coaches are to be delivered within the next few days. We have made special traffic arrangements to transport these coaches on trailer-trucks from the Delhi airport to DMRC's new Yamuna Bank depot," said DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal.

The Bombardier will be using a special cargo aircraft hired from an Ukrainian company that specialises in transportation of such heavy goods. A total of 400 coaches are to be manufactured by the Bombardier for the Delhi Metro. While around 370 coaches will be built at the company's plant in Vadodara, Gujarat, the remaining 30 will be transported from Germany.

The Delhi Metro currently uses 70 coaches manufactured by ROTEM Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO), a Japanese company.

Metro News

'u00a0The coaches will have surveillance cameras installed inside apart from a few fixed outside to let the driver keep an eye on the entry and exit of passengers from the train. The driver will be able to observe passenger behaviour along the entire length of the train at all times. 'u00a0Advanced sound-absorbing cushions lining the walls of the new coaches will reduce noise levels inside. The coaches will have better buffing so that the doors will seal perfectly, reducing sound filtering in from outside. 'u00a0A new Scroll Compressor system will be used in the air-conditioners of these trains to further reduce noise pollution. 'u00a0Hi-tech humidity sensors installed inside the coaches will regulate the cooling system of the air-conditioners which will eliminate humidity from inside the coaches, making the ride more comfortable. 'u00a0The coach temperature will be maintained at 25 degrees Celsius and relative humidity at 60 per cent during summer and monsoon. 'u00a0The new coaches will travel at up to a maximum speed of 95 kmph as against 90 kmph of current trains. 'u00a0The braking system of the coaches is more advanced with wheel-mounted disc brakes which will be controlled by smart microprocessors.