RRTS Overhead Line Energised In Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Corridor Section

In a big step towards implementation of country's first Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project, energisation of the first over head equipment (OHE) for the 82 kilometre-long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor has begun.

In the process, the first OHE section of the Inspection Bay Line (IBL) built at Duhai Depot was charged at 25,000 volts.

The design speed of RRTS trains is 180 km per hour. The OHE being installed on this corridor is specially designed to meet the requirements of such high speed and high frequency trains.

The 25,000 volts power supply in the activated IBL lines makes it a high energy risk area. National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has taken several measures to ensure the safety of the people working in and around the depot.

These measures include information boards that have been put up at different places to inform and make people aware of the potential risks when approaching charged lines.

There are many villages around the Duhai Depot. Announcements are being made regularly in the surrounding areas to inform and make the residents aware about it.

In June, the first train-set of RRTS was brought from the manufacturing plant at Savli in Gujarat to Duhai depot and is currently undergoing static commissioning testing at the depot. RRTS trains will be tested and commissioned on these IBLs before the trial of trains on main lines. These IBLs are used for inspection of rolling stock and necessary testing of RRTS trains.

The IBL of Duhai Depot is also unique in itself as it has been fitted with a special type of retractable OHE. These retractable OHE are very useful for inspection of the roof of trains in depots as this entire OHE system can be shifted to one side to facilitate smooth and easy access to the train roof for various maintenance works.

Duhai Depot also has stabling lines, test track, workshop, automatic coach washing plant etc. The back-up control centre (BCC) and depot control center (DCC) are a part of the depot administrative building.

The trial run on the priority section is expected to start by the end of this year and is likely to be open to the public by 2023.