KOCHI: The first set of 25 trains delivered to the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) on Saturday by their makers at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh sets apart the Kochi Metro from the other metro systems in the country.
“The Kochi Metro will have the most modern and user-friendly features that offer unique comforts and travel experience, differentiating it from the other metro systems in the country, thanks to Alstom and Tata Elxsi,” said KMRL officials.
“All the trains will be fitted with two air conditioning units per car to provide thermal comfort to commuters,” said KMRL MD Elias George.
The trains will also have two designated wheelchair areas with specific tip-up seats. Another feature is a priority area and cushioned seats for passengers with special needs. Different colour patterns for seats and grab handles to help users differentiate between the zones (priority zone and designated platform zone) also make the Kochi Metro stand apart.
Some of the other features are painted door inner leaf for interior colour harmony, passenger information system and large advertisement area.
“Interiors are designed to ensure better passenger comfort, in terms of seating,” said an official release from the KMRL. “The front end of the train has been designed so as to give an iconic look to Kochi Metro. The illuminated logo and the unique design of the LED headlight add to the aesthetics of the train’s exterior at night time,” it stated.
The wide gangway with flexible panel ensures easy passenger movement between cars. The multi-colour flooring improves the aesthetics and gives a feeling of ‘spaciousness’.
The trains are equipped with multi-axis adjustable driver seat, wide windows and features to ensure passenger safety. The salient features also include passenger information system; dynamic route map; public announcement in three languages; large LCD information display; CCTV surveillance; destination display on the sides; emergency intercom to communicate with driver; fire/smoke detection system; multiple holding area for passenger; handles and grab rails near doors and gangways; four-door-per-side system for high accessibility; and USB points for charging mobile phone.
According to the officials, the panels of the train are made of aluminium composites, with anti-graffiti protection. The stainless steel car body is designed for easy maintenance, durability and robustness, with low noise levels. The trains are designed for a minimum of 35 years of service.
The front end of the train has been designed in a way to give an iconic look to Kochi Metro. The illuminated logo and the unique design of the LED headlight add to the aesthetics of the train’s exterior at night time — official release from kmrl