Kolkata Metro Receives Two New Trains From China For Purple, Orange Lines; Six More To Arrive Next Year

Kolkata Metro has received two new rakes from China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Zhuzhou Locomotive Company, six years after the metro got its first foreign rake from China’s CNR Dalian, Times of India reported.

The latest additions are part of Metro Railway Kolkata’s effort to modernise and expand its network amid a pressing shortage of trains, especially on the newer Purple and Orange corridors.

While Dalian rakes arrived directly from China to Kolkata Port since March 2019, the Zhuzhou rakes are being assembled at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Perambur, owned by Indian Railways.

Another six such advanced rakes featuring Chinese-made propulsion systems are slated for delivery next year to support the expansion and upgrade of Kolkata Metro’s network.

"The Zhuzhou rakes' propulsion system is from China. The rakes are being assembled in ICF," a senior Metro Railway official was quoted as saying by TOI.

The modern metro rakes use a three-phase drive system with Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) control, known for its energy efficiency.

The system is capable of regenerative braking—capturing energy during braking and reusing it during acceleration.

Kolkata Metro Railway has ordered a total of eight rakes from CRRC Zhuzhou.

The two that have arrived will be tested as prototypes first, undergoing oscillation and other safety examinations, before being inducted into Metro's fleet.

"The rakes will be commissioned for the Purple and Orange lines," the Metro official said.

Kolkata’s 61-km Metro network—covering the Blue, Green, Purple, and Orange lines—is currently facing a rake shortage.

The Purple and Orange corridors are operating with just two and three rakes.

These rakes are refurbished Medha models, retrofitted with communication-based train control (CBTC) signalling systems.

Also Read: 'India Now The World’s Second-Largest Mobile Phone Producer': BJP Hits Back At Rahul Gandhi Over Criticism Of 'Make In India'