India's Chennai metro receives first two metro train sets from Alstom
Source:transportweekly 2014-3-4 14:20:00
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) in India has taken delivery of the first two metro train sets from Alstom, as part of a €243m order to supply 168 cars, according to Railway Technology.
The city's phase one metro project includes two interconnected lines, which connect North Chennai to the Airport in the south, and Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount.
With 32 stations, the two lines are expected to carry more than 500,000 people per day, while frequency between trains to be as short as three minutes.
Each new stainless steel train consists of four cars, with air-conditioned interiors and electrically operated automatic sliding doors, designed to provide comfort and easy access to passengers.
Equipped with a regenerative braking system to save energy, the cars will operate through an overhead catenary system at speeds of up to 80kmph.
The first metropolis train sets of Chennai's future metro system were manufactured at Alstom's new rolling stock facility of Sricity, Andhra Pradesh, India. Deliveries of the remaining units are set for completion by 2015.
Alstom Transport president Henri Poupart-Lafarge said: "The new world class Sricity plant plays a vital role in Alstom's strategy to set up a local industrial footprint in India, enhance proximity to its local customers and serve the expanding Indian infrastructure market.
"Metro projects are currently being implemented in seven Indian cities, representing a network of over 450 km. By 2030, 40% of people will live in towns and cities (vs 30% today). This new facility places Alstom in an excellent position to seize the opportunities offered by the country's rapid urbanisation."