India is now taking a step towards automation. After years of testing and trials, PM Modi has inaugurated India’s first driverless metro train. The automatic train will run on the Magenta Line of the Metro. The train is connected from Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden – a 37 km stretch.
First Driverless Metro Train of India
The Magenta Line of the train is fully-automatic, running independently (under close monitoring) and reducing human errors. Yes, there will be no driver on the metro. In the inauguration conference, PM Modi said, “India is moving towards smart systems.”
The driverless metro has six coaches with an accommodation capacity of 380 passengers in each coach. The Magenta Line has AC systems, energy-efficient LED lightings, and an incredible braking system.
Undoubtedly now Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is in the elite league of world-class Metro networks. It should be inaugurated by May 2020, but due to pandemics, the inauguration got postponed.
Future Plans for Metro
As the government is confident of this technology, the Driverless metro will be expanded in 2021. Moreover, the government plans to expand the train 57-km long Pink Line by mid of 2021.
We can say these are the baby steps to make Delhi Metro driverless. Combining both Pink Line and Magenta will be a 94-km long stretch, which is quite long. However, it’s just 9% of the Delhi Metro network.
In 2014, India had the metro only in 5 cities, and now we have the metro in 18 cities. According to PM Modi, we’ll have the metro in 25 cities by 2025.
In the virtual inauguration; PM Modi also mentioned that now National Common Mobility Card is operational on the Delhi Airport line. For your information, you can use an NCMC for public transportation and pay toll tax, shopping, and withdraw money.