Bombardier delivers first phase of automated signalling system to Delhi Metro

New Delhi: Rail transportation equipment manufacturers Bombardier today said it had delivered first phase of the Delhi Metro project to introduce an automated aignalling system. Tye system has been installed on Delhi Metro line 5, which opened today, featuring Bombardier's latest mass transit technology, Cityflow 350.

Cityflow 350 includes automatic train operation that automatically drives the trains from station to station as well as controlling the opening and closing of coach doors, leaving the driver free to simply supervise and press the departure button when leaving a station. The system also has an automatic turn-back feature that enables trains to reverse automatically at end stations.

The system has onboard automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train operation (ATO), with both ATP information and ATO status displayed in the driver's cab. The track to train communication is achieved via audio frequency track circuits and the system is designed primarily for metro applications where only limited action is required from the train driver.

Bombardier says Cityflow 350 systems are already in operation in Spain, Rumania, Iran, Turkey and Korea.

The opening section of line 5, which runs from Mundka to Inderlok features 14 stations on 15.2 kilometres of fully elevated track and one depot at Mundka, which is controlled by the new generation (release 4) Bombardier EBI Lock 950 computer-based interlocking systems.

Bombardier Transportation was awarded the 30 million euro contract to supply its signalling and train control system for both lines 5 and 6 of Delhi Metro in October 2007. These routes together cover 38.6 kilometres and represent more than 30 per cent of the Delhi Metro phase II expansion, which extends the existing network to cover all major destinations in the East-West and North-South corridors and are expected yo transport around 4 million passengers every day.