Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) delivered the first driverless metro coach on Saturday. Image: @PIB_India
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, September 8
All trains plying on the 337-km long metro network in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will gradually run without drivers, according to officials in the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC). The corporation intends to implement an artificial intelligence-based train operating network to replace the drivers.
"In the initial trial phase there will be drivers for all the trains but as the system stabilizes the drivers will be withdrawn," said an MMRC official.
Officials say, the train sets will be operated from a “sophisticated” control room and engineers would be stationed at all stations to take control of trains, if required.
On Saturday, Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) delivered the first driverless metro coach—within 75 days of being awarded the contract.
The coach was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function here.
MMRC has ordered 500 coaches from BEML which will run on three overland metro lines which are due to start operation next year.
Coaches for the only underground line coming up between Colaba in South Mumbai and SEEPZ in the suburbs are being constructed by Alstom, according to officials. This line will also operate driverless coaches after an initial trial period.
Though MMRC had proposed an initial trial period of around three years, it is likely to be reduced depending on technological development, officials say.
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