KANPUR: The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (UPMRCL) will shortly begin testing the nine-kilometre priority stretch from IIT-Kanpur to Moti Jheel. The corridor is expected to be accessible to the public in January of next year after pending approval from the relevant authorities and a successful trial.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remotely flagged off the first set of Kanpur Metro trains from Alstom’s production plant in Savli, Gujarat. CM Adityanath praised the UPMRCL crew for delivering trains on time in less than 14 months despite the Covid pandemic. CM Yogi said his government is proposing Metro projects in Gorakhpur, Meerut, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Jhansi.
Alstom India is producing a total of 39 trains for Kanpur, each with three carriages, and 28 trains for Agra.
Alstom finalised its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation (BT) on January 29, 2021, and Alstom will now be responsible for the supply of Kanpur and Agra metro rolling stock and signalling, as well as the scope of all BT technology.
Alstom’s scope on the Agra-Kanpur metro project is valued at roughly Rs 2,051 crore and includes the design, build, and delivery of 201 metro vehicles as well as an advanced signalling solution. The purchaser also has the option to purchase an extra 51 metro cars.
The new metro trains will benefit around 50 lakh inhabitants from both Agra and Kanpur.
The new metros’ aerodynamic modular design will provide a slew of safety, security, and environmental benefits, as well as an excellent passenger experience. The air-conditioned cars will be built with stainless-steel car bodies and will have automated sliding doors, comfortable seating and standing spaces, dedicated areas for entry of specially-abled passengers who use wheelchairs, and modern passenger information systems, all of which will combine to provide an accessible and welcoming environment for passengers.
The trains will be outfitted with Flexx metro bogies and a Mitrac propulsion system, which will boost energy efficiency, save operating costs, and ensure the new trains fulfil the highest environmental standards.
In a three-car layout, each train will carry around 960 passengers.