Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) carried out the second round of inspections and speed trials for its Phase-II metro line from Poonamallee to Vadapalani via Porur on Tuesday afternoon, an important step before opening the stretch for public use.
Testing of Trains
Officials said the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) arrived in the city on Tuesday morning. The inspection and train trials began around 12 p.m. During the trials, trains were tested at speeds of 40 km/h and 80 km/h between Poonamallee and Porur. Between Porur and Vadapalani, trains were tested at 40 km/h to check for any technical or safety issues.
Why is the Inspection Important?
This round of inspection is very important because, during the first visit two weeks ago, the CRS had raised concerns about certain issues. He was not satisfied with parts of the viaduct and some other features along the Porur-Vadapalani section. The CRS had pointed out several shortcomings, including the need for emergency evacuation staircases at stations between Porur and Vadapalani and incomplete grouting work for the Overhead Equipment. CMRL later informed the CRS that the problems would be fixed before the second inspection and submitted the required documents. Officials said the inspection continued from the afternoon until evening. The CRS carefully reviewed all the earlier issues related to civil structures and checked other systems to ensure everything met safety standards.
Checking of Speed Trials
After a long delay, CMRL has also received the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) certificate for its signalling system. Earlier, speed trials could not be conducted because this certificate was pending. The safety documents were submitted to the CRS team, which reportedly asked many questions about the ISA.
On Wednesday, the CRS team will inspect the back-up Operational Control Centre at Nandanam, where train movements will be monitored. The signalling system will also be checked again to ensure smooth and safe operations.
