Metro Rail using driverless techology

Hyderabad: In its first of its kind technology in the country, the Hyderabad Metro Rail has successfully run a train in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode, without the need for any driver.

Hyderabad Metro Rail MD N V S Reddy said that in the ATO mode, a train operates on its own and self-controls its movement, speed, performance etc., with automatic application of brakes without intervention of the train driver. The function of the driver is only to press a button to close the doors at stations.

Automatic monitoring of train movement and performance removes any possibility of human error and prevents train collisions. The hi-tech CBTC system adopted by Hyderabad Metro facilitates running of trains with one and a half minute (90 sec) frequency with very high reliability.

It has built-in redundancies to take care of failure of any component. Hyderabad Metro is using the latest version of CBTC technology. Simon Lee, a Hong Kong based veteran in CBTC technology has been closely supervising the Hyderabad Metro signaling system.

The MD said that Hyderabad Metro was the first Indian Metro implementing Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system, a very sophisticated and latest railway signaling system.

The technology and equipment for Hyderabad Metro signaling system are supplied by French company Thales, which had first developed this technology in the world.

It is a radio communication based system which controls movement of trains through continuous two-way digital communication between trains and trackside equipment.

The main Operation Control Centre (OCC) located in Uppal depot is the nerve center for remote controlling and operation of the entire 72-km Hyderabad Metro Rail system. The total Metro Rail system is divided into six zones, each controlled by a Zone Controller (equipment).

Each train transmits its identity, location, direction and speed to the respective Zone Controller which calculates safe distance between two trains, breaking distance and authorised train speed with automatic application of brakes in case of over speeding.

Several sophisticated sub-systems like Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Supervision (ATS), Vehicle on Board Controller, Zone Controller, Data Communication System, Solid State Interlocking (SSI), etc., ensure absolutely fail-safe protection mechanism against train collisions, speed regulation, programmed stopping, door control and other functions.

The MD and chief signaling & telecommunications engineer K Laxman, chief engineer Md Ziauddin and other senior engineers of L&TMRHL and Thales participated in the test run of Metro train in ATO mode from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appreciated this major technology development and congratulated HMR, L&TMRHL and Thales on this achievement. He expressed confidence that Hyderabad would become a major global technology hub in future with such developments.