CHENNAI (Metro Rail News): One of the largest contracts of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd.’s Phase II project, the design and development of the signalling software, has been awarded to Hitachi Rail Signalling and Transportation Systems India Pvt. Ltd.
Hitachi Rail Signalling and Transportation Systems India Pvt. Ltd. came in with the lowest bid of Rs. 1,600 crore for the Phase II works.
Hitachi was the lowest bidder when the financial bids were opened a few days ago, according to authorities of Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. (CMRL). The only other company that submitted a bid was Nippon Signal. According to sources, Hitachi provided a quote for the project of roughly Rs. 1,600 crore. Before legally granting the contract, there are some procedures and evaluations to be completed. The project management committee must first approve it, and then and only then can the contract be released, an official stated.
According to officials, the contractor are expected to supply the software months in advance so that trials may begin because the first length between Poonamallee and Power House might be opened by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.
In Phase II, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd. plans to run driverless trains, for which a reliable signalling system is crucial because it regulates numerous functions, including announcements in stations and trains and other critical parts of train operations, the authorities said.
The project’s Phase II signalling system would be much different from Phase I signalling system. In contrast to the distance-to-go signalling system that CMRL built for the Phase I project, it shall deploy the communications-based train control signalling system in Phase II, which officials claim is a superior and more accurate system. As a result, the Phase I project’s trains will not operate in Phase II. Commuters will have to disembark, travel a short distance, and then board the train wherever there are interchange stops, such as Alandur, Thirumangalam, CMBT, or KMC.