DRIVERLESS METRO TRAIN FAILS TEST AGAIN
A driverless Delhi Metro train crashed through a boundary wall after its brakes failed during a trial run at Kalindi Kunj station on the Magenta Line in New Delhi on Tuesday
A driverless Delhi Metro train on the Magenta Line on Tuesday crashed into a wall during a trial run at Kalindi Kunj depot in the city. No one was injured during the incident, however, two coaches of the train have been badly damaged, officials said here.
The train, which was empty at the time of incident, went through a wall at the Kalindi Kunj depot and was barely missed crashing into the ground. Notably, it is not the first incident. In first week of November last year, two Delhi Metro trains also had witnessed collision at the depot.
Reacting over the lapse, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said, “I have sought a report from DMRC on the derailment of its driverless train during trail run on Kalkaji-Botanical Garden.” He added it's a shocking lapse! There can be no compromise on passenger safety. The Managing Director of DMRC, Mangu Singh reiterated and has reassured that “main line operations on this line are absolutely safe, with a high level of automation and has been thoroughly checked and cleared by the commissioner of metro rail safety for passenger.”
A DMRC spokesperson said, “Train movement inside the workshop area is done manually and is not operated through the signaling system. Therefore, such an incident taking place during passenger operation is not possible.” He further added that it was noth- ing to do with the driverless concept as that train had no signaling at that time and operated manually.
A DMRC statement said, “The brake system was not tested and it appears to be a case of human error. A highlevel enquiry has been ordered.” It further added that a trial train was moved from the workshop without testing the brake system as a result of which the train was moving up the ramp for washing, and it rolled back and hit the adjacent boundary wall.
On November 5, last year, two Delhi Metro trains collided in a freak accident at the same depot on the yet-to-open corridor. The new trains, which are equipped with advanced anti-collision technology, had collided during commissioning at the depot on Line 8. “An incident occurred on Friday at 3:45 pm at Kalindi Kunj depot of Line-8, in which a train, which was under complete control of Hyundai Rotem for commissioning, was moved perhaps inadvertently in reverse direction,” said a source.
The DMRC official further added that safety features of Phase 3 trains are having fitting of fire alarms, track cameras to detect breakage, obstruction detection equipment and improved communication between passengers and operation control room, Metro coaches are designed in such a way that there is no scope for fire, or even if it happens it does not spread. Yet, for the first time, fire detectors will be fitted with RS 10 coaches as further precaution.
The official also added that in phase-iii, round the clock monitoring of tracks through cameras and increased inspections will be in place to prevent accidents due to fracture on tracks. OHE photography, obstruction detection devices, screen doors on platforms, dedicated bandwidth for Wi-fi communication between passengers and operation control room, deployment of attendants inside coaches will be other safety features.