Hyderabad Metro Bringing in Lifestyle Changes

Ticketing – Automatic Fare Collection System

An Automatic Fare Collection System based on Contactless Fare Media Technology will be used for dispensing tickets to commuters. The AFC System will have Automatic Gates, Ticket Vending Machines, Add Value Machines, Ticket Office Machines, Ticket Readers and Portable Ticket Analysers. The system divides the stations into paid and unpaid areas, which will be separated by automatic entry / exit gates and fencing. The system accepts banknotes, coins, credit/debit cards and smart cards for payment. Tickets are of two types: Contactless Smart Card (CSC) and Contactless Smart Token (CST). Contactless Tokens are available for travel between fixed stations and could be purchased for single or return trips, more for non-frequent users.

Contactless Smart Cards are stored value cards and are available in the form of either monetary (e-Purse) or non-monetary (Pass) or a combination of both; more suited for regular commuters. Some of the passes planned are Tourist Pass, Trip Pass, Daily Pass, Weekly Pass, Monthly Pass and Holiday Pass.

Safety, Fire Detection and Suppression

As part of a strategy of fire prevention and early detection, HMR has provided an Analogue Addressable type Fire Detection & Alarm System at all stations. This system detects presence of fire and initiates Fire Suppression through Gas Flooding Systems, fire hydrants and Automatic Sprinkler System, protecting critical railway equipment from fire. In the event a fire cannot be suppressed early, portable fire extinguishers of different types – Carbon dioxide, ABC & DCP are used to extinguish fires in the early stage to avoid major losses. To extinguish fires inside the critical power supply panels located in the sub-stations a carbon dioxide Fire Trace System will be used.

Photo luminescent safety signage has been installed to guide commuters for safe escape in cases of fire and power failure. This will also be useful in locating fire-fighting appliances in case of emergencies even in darkness.

Power and Lighting Systems

Electrification for overhead pantographs of trains / locomotives is being done through 25 kV, Single phase, 50 Hz AC power. The 132KV power received from the power stations by receiving stations will be stepped down to 3-phase 33KV for lighting and other general purposes and to single phase 25KV for traction. The OCC at Uppal Depot will monitor and control the entire power supply system and traction system equipment through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA). To minimise interference with communication lines, booster transformers are being provided throughout the corridors at specified locations.

Energy saving, low loss, high efficiency fluorescent lamps with high power factor will be used at all stations. The lighting system will have three illumination levels: Emergency level (33%), Off-peak hour(66%) and Peak hour (100%).

Passenger Elevators suitable for physically challenged with Electric Traction and gearless motor having VVVF Control are being provided in all stations from Street level to concourse level and concourse level to platform level. Escalators suitable for semi-outdoor installation are also being provided in all stations. Each station will have a steel escalator from street level to concourse Level and glass escalator from concourse level to platform level.

Telecommunication System

HMR has a state-of-the-art Telecommunication System which ensures continuous communication between the OCC, Train Operators and Station Controllers. The modular nature of the system and high redundancy built into it due to the distributed architecture ensures that in event of failure of the link between the OCC and a station, all station communication equipment continue to operate independently in local mode. All train related information will be displayed and broadcast in different languages like Telugu, English and Hindi. There is an Emergency Call Point / Help-point phone system at stations to assist passenger in case of any help required.

HMR, which began in 2012, is expected to be fully operational in 2017, with the first stage of 8km (Stage-I) scheduled to be inaugurated by March 2015.

However, some challenges need to be still overcome, such as the recent proposal to change some parts of the alignment of the metro and to shift some portions underground.

Rajmohan Kurup