CMRL is not operating all the services in the automatic mode
Posted on: 28/Jul/2018 9:41:45 AM
Residents of Chennai have been using metro rail as a means of transport for the last 3 years to reach their places of destination. The news that has come out now is the CMRL or Chennai Metro Rail Limited is not operating all the services in the automatic mode. It must be noted that there are 2 modes of operation and they are ATO or automatic train operation and ATP or automatic train protection. In the first case that is ATO mode, the operator must close the door and that is his main work. Centralized operations control centre is responsible for the rest of the train operations and that is automatic. In the second case that is ATP mode, manual operation of trains is carried out and in the emergency situations the system would take over.
During the non peak hours, in ATP mode the train operator control the brakes and traction systems. The personnel at the operations control centre only monitors. For the purpose of training the operators the CMRL is running the trains manually.
According to a metro official, during the non peak hours ATP mode of operation is still used and it is because of the fact that the train operators must learn to use the master controller or console of the train in case of emergency. To maintain the frequency of train, automatic mode is used during the peak hours. This metro rail has got as many as 88 train operators and these operators are trained and certified by CMRL.
There are few issues in the manual operation of trains like non-syncing of platform screen doors or PSD with the train doors at the underground stations. It is said that the trains either stop much ahead or stop behind the intended stoppage area when they arrive at the station and this results in non-syncing of doors. Then the operators come into action as they move the train again to sync with the doors.
As per the CMRL officials, the non-syncing of the doors doesn’t depend of the skill of the operator but it depends on the signalling system. When the train is operated in the ATP mode and when the operator applies more traction or brakes than the required, then the train system would take care of it and errors would not be there. It is now revealed that Chennai Metropolitan Rail Limited would operate driverless trains for the 107.55 km phase- 2 Project.
