Trains on Chennai Metro Rail’s Phase 2 corridors to run a tad slower
The Hindu
Despite the Phase 2 having a larger network with several sharp curves and higher number of stations than Phase 1, Metro Rail plans to run run trains every two minutes on these corridors
When Chennai Metro Rail trains start chugging in Phase 2 project, they will run at a slightly lower speed than those in Phase 1.
In the 118.9-km Phase 2 project being executed across the city with three corridors — Madhavaram to Shollinganallur, Light House to Poonamallee and Madhavaram to SIPCOT — the trains will have an average speed of 32 kmph. But in the Phase 1 and Phase 1 extension projects, the average speed is 34 kmph.
According to officials of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL), in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects, the trains are designed for a maximum speed of 80 km but the average speed in Phase 2 has been reduced a little for various reasons.
“The number of stations in Phase 2 is higher than that of Phase 1 because of the vast network and also because the distance between the stations is much less. While in Phase 1, the distance between stations is more than a kilometre, in Phase 2 it is less than 1 km and this speed is good enough,” says an official.
“Also, the signaling systems in both projects are different. The system in Phase 2 has enhanced safety and the average speed has been arrived at based on the study and the features of this signaling system,” the official said. The Phase 2 project has several sharp curves and hence, the speed has been decreased, another official said.
But this will not have much of an impact for passengers as the frequency is likely to be more in Phase 2 project.
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