Metro signal installation nears completion, testing begins

Kanpur: Under the Kanpur Metro Rail Project's Corridor-1 (IIT-K to Naubasta), system installation work is progressing rapidly along with civil construction on the 5-km-long elevated section between Baradevi and Naubasta. This stretch comprises five stations- Baradevi, Kidwai Nagar, Vasant Vihar, Baudh Nagar, and Naubasta- where the installation of signals is now nearly complete. Preparations are in full swing to begin the testing phase of the signalling system in this section.

Recently, on May 30, passenger services were extended from Motijheel to Kanpur Central station. Tunnelling work for the two underground stations beyond Kanpur Central- Jhakarkati and Transport Nagar- is currently in its final stages. Following this, the focus has shifted to system installations and finishing works on the Baradevi–Naubasta elevated section. This includes the construction of technical rooms and installation of systems related to track, third rail, telecom, signalling, and electricals.

A total of 24 signals are to be installed between Baradevi and Naubasta. All 8 signals at Baradevi station have been installed. The next three stations- Kidwai Nagar, Vasant Vihar, and Baudh Nagar- each have 2 signals installed. At the final station, Naubasta, 7 out of 10 planned signals have been installed. The remaining 3 will be placed after track work is completed.

All indoor cabling required for signal functioning at the stations has been completed. Additionally, Train Radio Access Antennas have also been installed at all five stations. These antennas play a crucial role in ensuring safe train operations by enabling wireless communication between the train and the Operations Control Centre.

With the completion of signal installation, preparations for testing the signalling system have begun on the Baradevi–Naubasta section. The testing will start with the PICO Test, which involves verifying the wiring connections for any faults. This will be followed by the Partial Acceptance Test (PAT), where individual signalling components like signals and point machines will be operated independently. Finally, the System Acceptance Test will be conducted, during which a train will be run in accordance with the installed signalling system to validate its functionality.

Sushil Kumar, managing director of Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited, stated, "The engineering teams of Kanpur Metro are advancing the civil construction and system installation work on the Baradevi–Naubasta section with complete dedication."