Metro Rail : CMBT to be 1st elevated metro station ready to go

 





Installation of Crucial Telecommunication System Underway

The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) metro rail station will be the first elevated station of the transit system to be ready for operation. Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) has completed interior work in the building and has started to install telecommunication equipment crucial for train operations when the first trains start plying between Koyambedu and Alandur.

As the trains will be automated, metro stations will need to have equipment for communication between the train and the operations control centre. The control centre from where train operations will be monitored has been installed and testing is underway. There will be seven stations on the Koyambedu-Alandur route.

“Installation of the equipment has started as building work is completed,” a senior CMRL official said. “We have to install a few more passenger facilities at entry and exit. The station will be ready soon for operation of trains.” Arumbakkam, Ashok Nagar and Koyambedu stations will be ready soon after all work at CMBT is completed.

Structural work is complete and interior work is in progress at these stations.

The trains run on pre-fed information which includes halts, duration of halts, speed at various points and other factors.

Onboard sensors will read sensors on the track, take pre-determined commands to identify routes, stations, halts, speed and other information supplied from the operations control centre. This makes it crucial for CMRL to complete installation of track-side sensors and communication equipment at stations before services can be started. If the equipment is not ready, CMRL will have to operate the trains manually.

Tunneling is also progressing rapidly on the Shenoy Nagar-Koyambedu route, which will be the first underground stretch. It is likely to be commissioned next year. Tunnels are ready between Shenoy Nagar and Anna Nagar Tower station. CMRL recently completed a tunnel from tower station to Thirumangalam and started boring towards the Koyambedu ramp.

Of the four stations on the Shenoy Nagar-Thirumangalam underground stretch, the ones at Shenoy Nagar and Anna Nagar Tower are nearing completion. Station boxes, the concourse where commuters buy tickets and platforms have been completed. Anna Nagar East may be the last to be completed.

Ayyappan V

The Times of India (Chennai)Sep 04 2014 :