Building Pune: Pune Metro to introduce driverless train services in Phase 2 routes to minimise human errors, increase punctuality

The UTO operations are prevalent in the upcoming and new Metro lines in Indian mega cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, he said. “The driverless operations would be helpful to minimise the human errors, increase punctuality, and improve the quality of Metro services. It increases reliability and gives improved performance in services. Therefore, the Pune Metro is updating the operations to driverless train operation from ATO, which was approved in the detailed project reports (DPRs),” he said.

Pune Metro will appoint a consultant to review the driverless train operations and do detailed cost estimates, Agarwal said.

The existing Attended Train Operation has drivers who have to start the Metro rail and oversee the operations while also closing the train doors using the control, said Agarwal.

“The automated train operation is going to be started in the existing operational routes of Phase One, but the driver will continue to be in the cabin to oversee operation. In Phase Two, the driverless train operation will be completely without a driver and all the operations will be done by the system — from starting the train to closing the doors. This system is going to be the future, with all metros shifting on it slowly,” he said.

Incidentally, the PITCMRL operating Metro Line 3 has recently announced that all women pilots will operate the Metro in the Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi route.

‘UTO system more reliable than humans’

The technologically advanced UTO system or driverless system is more reliable than humans, and it also increases the space for passengers with the removal of the cabin meant for drivers, Agarwal pointed out.

Agarwal clarified that the driverless system will be in place only for the Metro routes to be developed on Phase Two, as it requires trains with compatible technology and signalling, said Agarwal. “The existing routes of Metro rail of Phase 1 will later on shift to the driverless mode once the system is upgraded after some years,” he said

The Maha-Metro is operating Pune Metro Line 1 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to Swargate and Line 2 from Vanaz to Ramwadi, while Pune Metro Line 3 from Shivajinagar to Hinjewadi is being executed by PMRDA.

Greenfield Metro line project

Extensions of Pune Metro Lines 1 and 2 are currently being executed by Maha-Metro. A new Metro Line, connecting Kharadi to Khadakwalsa along with a spur connecting Nal Stop, is in the final stages of the Central Government approval and is expected to get sanctioned very soon.

Pune Metro Line 4 is a greenfield metro line project to be fully implemented by Maha Metro as per the Metro Rail policy. The line has a proposed length of 31.6 km and 28 stations. Of the proposed 31.6 km, 6.1 km along with six stations are proposed to be in a spur which connects to the Nalstop area from ManikBaug. The Metro line runs through the heart of old Pune city via Hadapsar, Magarpatta, Swargate, Hingne Chowk, Warje, and Khadakwasla.

“Kharadi to Khadakwasla, along with a spur to Nal Stop at Pune Metro, is planned to be operated in Driverless Train Operation mode. Pune Metro Line 4 has an interchange with Pune Metro Line 2 at Nal Stop and Kharadi, and passengers shall transship between Maha-Metro’s Pune Metro lines 2 and 4,” said Agarwal.

The consultant would help plan for Rolling Stock, Signalling and Train Control Systems, Telecom system compliant to driverless mode of operation, fully compliant to Metro Rules of 2020, he said.

He said that 75 metro coaches, 25 trains with three-car metro train sets, compatible to operate driverless train operations, would be procured for Pune Metro Line 4.

The Pune Metro will also procure the UTO-based CBTC signalling, telecommunication system, public address system, passenger information display system, master clock system, digital voice recording system, telephone system, cyber security, office automation and information technology, CCTV surveillance, and fibre optic transmission system for Pune Metro Line 4.

Atul Gadgil, Director of Works for Maha-Metro, said the partial operation of the Pune Metro Phase 1 lines, including Line 1 – PCMC to Swargate and Line 2 – Vanaz to Ramwadi, of the Pune Metro Rail Project has begun, while work on its extension, undertaken from PCMC to Nigdi and Swargate to Katraj, along with Vanaz to Chandni Chowk and Ramwadi to Wagholi.

In Phase Two Line 4, the Metro train will have two routes, with Route 1 from Khadakwasla Station to Kharadi Station, in which 60 per cent of train services are proposed to be operated, and Route 2 from Nal Stop Station to Hadapsar Station, which will have 40 percent of train services proposed to be operated on this route. This means 100 per cent train services will be from Manik Baug to the Hadapsar section, 60 per cent train services in Khadakwasla-Manik Baug and Hadapsar-Kharadi sections, and 40 per cent train services in Nal Stop -Warje-Manik Baug section.