LMRC to get first train-set by Oct end

Back from a brainstorming session on design of metro coaches with the transport-giant Alstom in France, LMRC managing-director Kumar Keshav on Wednesday said the production of coaches would commence in May.

“The design of the coaches has been frozen and Alstom is expected to start production work at their manufacturing facility in Sricity at Chennai by mid-May,” he said.

The LMRC is expected to receive the first train-set of four by October-end for commencement of trial run. Commercial operations would start early 2017.

With a capacity to seat 32 (16 passengers on either seat), these silver-Red ribbon airconditioned coaches would be fitted with state-of-the-art passenger information system and technology. Besides, logo of the Rumi Gate, the bogeys would have myriad patterns of famous Lakhnavi Chikankari inscribed on them. An electronic display and an automated audio system would provide information to the commuters about the stations on the route.

Metro rails follow a colorcoded rule for each route on which the service plies.

The service on the North-South Corridor of the city would be known as Red Line and the proposed East-West Corridor would be called Blue .

With a time-gap of four-anda-half-minute in each service, the LMRC would require a set of at least 13 trains initially to runs its operations smoothly.

The corporation is in the process of hiring 97 train drivers to run the service. “Since it’s a strenuous job, driver’s work in a six-hour shift. They would also have to clear the mandatory psycho aptitude test conducted by the RDSO to check their reflexes and behavior in a crisis situation,” said an LMRC official.