Kolkata Metro completes Aluminium third rail upgrade on underground Blue Line for faster train operations

How Kolkata Metro Blue Line services will improve

According to Kolkata Metro Railway, this major technological upgrade is a significant step towards modernising the traction infrastructure and achieving the faster train operations, i.e. targeted 150-second train headway in future operations.

In a statement, the Metro Railway said: “Aluminium’s electrical conductivity is 38 million siemens per meter whereas Steel has value of 6 million siemens per meter. This physical characteristic of Aluminium is a simple reason for lesser voltage drops and lesser energy losses compared to Steel third rail. Apart from lesser loss, nearly no voltage drop in the third rail will help to achieve faster acceleration of train and reducing headway of running Metros.”

The underground section of Kolkata Metro Blue Line stretches from Noapara to Dum Dum and again from Belgachia to Mahanayak Uttar Kumar station.

Kolkata Metro Blue Line update

Kolkata Metro further said that the aluminium third rail system is expected to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 50,000 tonnes over its lifetime. The metro authority also stated that the new system will reduce the heat load on air-conditioning systems inside tunnels, as aluminium generates less heat due to its lower resistance compared to steel.

“The initiative is expected to generate substantial environmental benefits, including an estimated reduction of nearly 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over its lifecycle. The upgradation forms part of Metro Railway Kolkata’s broader modernization roadmap, which includes implementation of advanced signalling systems to support higher-frequency operations, improved reliability and enhanced passenger carrying capacity on India’s first metro corridor” the Kolkata Metro said.