Page 15 - CO January 2022

COVER STORY

The Driverless Train Operation will bring more flexibility in train L&T is developing 3D models for metros when they are the
operations, reduce human interventions and human errors. It will contractor, and they use clash detection to uncover clashes in
also help in improving the availability of coaches for service. The multiple technical disciplines at an early stage. Other important
Driverless Trains will eliminate the manual process of checking developments include the work by L&T, who provided mobile
done before induction, subsequently reducing burden on train platforms for on-site inspections. Till date, Nagpur Metro is the only
operators. The parking on stabling line in depots will also be one project in India has made major strides toward using BIM in
done automatically. The DMRC has already started reaping the planning and design phases. Digital information management
benefits of driverless operations on its Magenta Line in terms of systems are implemented across the project lifecycle in the
increased availability of coaches for service. Reliability of the Nagpur Metro Project.
trains has increased manifold due to exhaustive self-tests done Schneider officials, during a recent webinar, stated that in a
before induction in service everyday automatically, eliminating country like India, where every city is faced with a different
all possibilities of human error. The benefits will further increase scale of challenges, it is important to employ customizable and
with a longer network under driverless train operation. In DTO, flexible solutions. For instance, in the city of Kanpur, the Metro Rail
initially, the train operator will be present in the train to instil operations and management is not single-layered. One of the
a sense of confidence and assistance. DTO’s higher level of focal aspects is implementing solutions that are upgradable and
diagnostic features will help move from conventional time-based interoperable to improve efficiency in metro. Monitoring, operating
Maintenance to Condition Based Maintenance. This will also systems, solving conflicts and accessing the systems easily, are
reduce maintenance down time of trains. pain points that can be addressed with digitization.
Incorporating solutions that can digitize processes, collect
Adapting and Implementing Digitization data and adapt accordingly are essential to address the traffic
The construction industry has been working towards reducing congestion challenge. While collecting these data is the first
carbon footprint by lowering significant sources such as step, implementing the collected insights with perfect execution
construction waste and process inefficiencies. Companies are is essential. In this concern, digitization allows for information and
implementing measures such as lean building concepts, the data to be disseminated and saved across all systems. This further
transition to mechanise off-site manufacturing, and the utilization elevates the cause of achieving cost-effectiveness in a short
of modern IT trends such as Building Information Modelling (BIM). period. To achieve maximized efficiency, a common platform
In the UK, for instance, BIM is widely used and is predicted to reach for communication is necessary. According to the industry
95% by 2018. Many governments around the world (Germany, leaders, so far digitization has been fully adapted and used in
UK, Singapore, Korea, and China) have been quite vocal about the operations sector of the metro rail industry. However, with the
the implementation of BIM. In the UK, projects such as Cross rail rapid rate at which the development plans are made to extend
and High Speed 2 have substantially invested in establishing the industry, digitization can be applied to many other facets to
information management strategies for use during construction. increase efficiency to the next level. For instance, digitization in
Digital efforts have yet to see a huge uptick in the Indian metros. the construction phase can prove helpful in monitoring, managing
Having said that the beginning has been quite promising. The and overlooking the ongoing projects.
case in point being the digital workflow developed by the Kochi Digitization in the metro can pave the way for creating an
Metro, which includes handling of papers in a digital system. efficient, reliable and flexible transport system that meets growing

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