Metro trains ready for Central Secretariat-Badarpur Line Opening

In view of the tight deadline to open the Central Secretariat – Badarpur section before the Commonwealth Games, the DMRC has started commissioning the Trains required for this corridor at the Mundka Train Depot instead of Sarita Vihar Train Depot since the Sarita Vihar Train Depot which is the Maintenance Depot for the Badarpur corridor is in the final stage of commissioning.

Twenty Nine trains are being commissioned at Mundka Depot and fourteen of these trains have already been shifted by Road to Sarita Vihar Depot in the last 16 days. The remaining fifteen trains will be transported by road from Mundka Depot to Sarita Vihar Depot by 25th September 2010 so that all these trains are available for service before the opening of Central Secretariat – Badarpur line.

A team of 30 Technicians, Engineers and Staff are involved in shifting these trains from one depot to the other and it takes almost 16 hours to complete the entire process of loading, transportation and unloading of these trains since each Standard Gauge Coach weighs 41 tons and requires a 170 ton capacity crane to lift the coach onto the trailers used for road transportation.

Each of the twenty Nine trains needed 30 days for commissioning in the Mundka Depot where all the Sub-Systems such as Brake system, Electrical, Signalling etc. of the Trains were carefully checked and tested.

The Sarita Vihar Depot will be ready before the opening of the Central Secretariat – Badarpur line and includes a workshop-cum-maintenance facility situated over 29 hectares of land with 22 stabling lines with 7 double rake lines so that all the 29 trains can be accommodated together. In addition, a test track, four inspection bay lines, one shunting line and four workshop lines are also available in the Sarita Vihar Depot.

The Civil work of Sarita Vihar Depot started in November 2008 and the Depot is being commissioned in less than two years.

DMRC plans to run trains on this line with the highest ever frequency of 2 minutes 25 seconds to cater to the rush expected at Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium and other Games Venues.