Kolkata: For now, four AC rakes of the North-South Metro will be used for commercial operations on two new corridors, truncated routes of which are set to open around October this year. The new rakes for the Joka-Esplanade and New Garia-Airport lines will not arrive until the next six months and so, the initial runs will be carried out with the old North-South trains.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), tasked to implement most of the city’s Metro projects, has requisitioned 37 high-tech rakes from Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Perambur, for the new corridors. The rakes would be delivered in phases and the first few would not start arriving until the next six months, officials said. “The new ICF rakes will undergo a series of tests before being rolled out for commercial run. They will also need clearance from the Lucknow-based Research Designs and Standards Organization, after adequate trials. A subsequent fitness certificate from the Commissioner of Railway Safety and a nod from the Railway Board are required before the start of commercial run with those. All this will take time,” an official said.
