Kerala sending team to study Dubai Metro

Kerala is sending a team of officials to study the technological aspects of Dubai Metro, the world's longest fully automated metro network.

"A team led by project director Mahesh Kumar will head for Dubai to get a better understanding about the third rail system and continuous automatic train control system (CBTC)," Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) Managing Director Elias George was quoted in Times of India newspaper.

The team was to arrive in Dubai on Sunday.

CBTC is used for enhanced frequency and safety, and the technology can be upgraded to driverless trains as well.

The newspaper said that KMRL is also be sending teams to understand the functioning and operations of Metros in cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Copenhagen and Paris. The objective of the team is to look into aspects such as how development activities are being carried out in Metro zones of these cities.

Kochi Metro is estimated to cost Rs4.43 billion and it will cover 25.523 kilometres in length.  The metro will have three to six cars with each car accommodating around 200 passengers. It will travel up to a speed of 50 kilometre per hour.

Dubai Metro, which was officially launched in September 2009, is expected to cost Dh29.6 billion, according to the Dubai government bond prospectus, issued in April.

The Metro currently consists of two lines, the Red Line, which was opened at launch, and the Green Line, which was opened in September 2011. The Dubai Metro is intended to form the backbone of Dubai’s public transport network. All main metro stations are intended to have adjacent bus stations as part of the integrated transport system, which is expected to include buses and taxis as well as water transport links at stations near the Dubai Creek.

Since its launch, during 2009, 2010 and 2011 the Dubai Metro transported approximately 6.9 million, 38.9 million and 69.0 million passengers, respectively. Based on data collected by the RTA, in December 2012, the Dubai Metro carried approximately 350,000 passengers a day on average.

As at December 31, 2012, the Red Line was 52.1 kilometre in length, with 28 out of 29 stations operational and the Green Line was 22.5 km in length, with 18 out of 20 stations operational. The aggregate length of the Red and Green Lines is around 74.6 km with 49 stations, 46 of which were operational as at 31 December 2012.

In January, it was disclosed the rail network in Dubai will cover an area of 421 kilometres with 197 stations with the expansion of the existing network and new rail routes expected to be completed by 2030 in three phases.

In India, Kolkata Metro started its operations in 1984, while the Delhi Metro in New Delhi is second conventional metro and began operations in 2002. The Namma Metro in Bangalore is India's third operational rapid transit and began operations in 2011. India’s Urban Development Ministry has already proposed plans for Metros in cities with over 2 million population.

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