Trial runs begin on Metro linking Janakpuri West, IGIA.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recently started trial runs between Janakpuri West and Terminal 1 of the IGI Airport on the upcoming Janakpuri West - Botanical Garden Magenta Line as part of its Phase III operations.

“With the beginning of trial runs on this 10 kilometre section today (Wednesday), trials are now in progress on both ends of the Magenta corridor, which connects west Delhi with Noida along the Outer Ring Road,” said a DMRC spokesperson. “Trials between Botanical Garden and Kalkaji Mandir (13 kilometres) on the other end of the corridor had started on October 27 this year,” he said.

DMRC said that track laying is nearing completion in the remaining underground section between Terminal 1 of IGIA and Kalkaji Mandir and that trials on this section will start soon.

“With the depot being located at Kalindi Kunj and track laying work still in progress in some sections between Kalkaji Mandir and IGIA, this particular stretch between Janakpuri West and the airport did not have direct depot connectivity for movement of trains,” he said. To expedite the process of commencing trials on this section, an entire six-coach train was lowered on the tracks near the Sadar Bazar Cantonment station using cranes and trailers by DMRC recently.

Delhi Metro’s new UTO (Unattended Train Operations) enabled trains will operate on this corridor. “The new trains, with extremely high levels of automation, will now undergo rigorous trials between these stations to ensure that they are ready for smooth operation after the commissioning of the corridor,” the spokesperson said. “Initially, train operators will run the trains, but gradually, driverless operations (on the UTO mode) will be possible,” he said.

THE HINDU