There’s good news for residents of north Delhi. With the Delhi Metro extension from Vishwavidyalay to Jehangirpuri nearing completion, the corporation started trial runs on the new line on Friday. The 6.36 km long extension will be opened for public in December this year or early January 2009, a good 10 months before the scheduled date.

The trial runs began from the GTB Nagar metro station at 10 am, following a brief puja and went on successfully till 5 pm. ‘‘During the first day trial runs, the interaction of the Metro train with physical infringement or civil structures was checked to ensure that there was no physical blockage during the movement of the train on tracks between Vishwavidyalay and Jahangirpuri,’’ said a Delhi

Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) spokesperson. The signaling system, based on Automatic Train Operation (ATO), and radio communication apparatus will also be tested while the trial runs are underway.

On Monday, the train was made to move slowly — at a speed of 25 kmph. But this will gradually be increased to 50 kmph and ultimately touch the maximum speed of 80 kmph as the trials progress. The aim is to see how the train responds at different speeds, including the braking and connection with the Operations Control Centre (OCC).

As the systems are put under test, it will also be checked for safety parameters to ensure that it is secure for passenger use.

The trial runs will carry on for a period of five weeks — one train set will be used for the first three weeks, two sets will be use in the fourth week and more will be added after that. The checks will continue round the clock. Other systems fited at stations — like fare collection, escalators and lifts, telecom and auxiliary systems will also be tested alongside.

The new section, which was earlier scheduled for a October 2009 opening, has five stations — GTB Nagar, Model Town, Azadpur, Adarsh Nagar and Jehangirpuri — out of which one is underground (GTB Nagar). This section will be integrated with the existing 11 km Line 2 from Central Secretariat to Vishwavidyalaya. This will require special focus on integration and extension of the existing signalling system to the new section.

Source: Times of India