Alstom will provide telecom, signaling tech for Kochi metro

MUMBAI, INDIA: Alstom has been awarded two contracts worth over 65 million Euro from Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to supply signaling, telecom and electrification solutions for the new Kochi metro line. The projects will be implemented in early 2016 and commercial service for first section is scheduled to begin in March 2016.

25 trains will circulate on the new Kochi metro line which is 25 km long and includes 22 stations. In the beginning, these trains will carry up to 15,000 passengers per hour and direction.

Alstom is in charge of the design, manufacturing, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of Urbalis 400, its Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) solution. It controls the movement of trains, allowing them to run at higher frequencies and speeds in total safety. Alstom’s Urbalis has been in service for 12 years on more than 40 metro lines worldwide.

In addition, Alstom will provide an integrated telecom solution comprising of radio, CCTV4, Passenger Information Display System, Passenger Announcement System and Giga bit network to guarantee comfort and security of passengers. Alstom will be also in charge of the manufacturing, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the 750V third rail traction electrification and auxiliary substations (ASS) and associated SCADA systems.

While the engineering will be led by Alstom’s site in Bangalore in India, equipment for the projects will come from Villeurbanne (France) and Bologna (Italy) sites.

The company has recently opened a new facility at SriCity to build metro train sets and has a manufacturing unit in Coimbatore for traction systems and an engineering unit specialized in signalling solutions in Bangalore.

Alstom has strong references in the country both in signalling and trains, including the metro train sets for Chennai and the signalling systems provided for Delhi, Bengaluru and Jaipur metros.