Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s first driverless metro train in Delhi via video conferencing on 28th December.
The driverless, fully automated train will be operated on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line which is about 37 km long and runs from Janakpuri West to Botanical Garden in Noida. By mid 2021, the train will be extended to Pink Line which is 57 km long and runs from Majlis Park to Shiv Vihar in North Delhi. The driverless train will help to reduce the chances of human errors.
Along with the driverless train, PM Modi also launched the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). NCMC will allow passengers carrying a RuPay debit card to pay for Metro travel. The card will also allow users to enter and exit the metro stations with the help of a smartphone.
For now the service is available on Delhi Metro’s Airport Express Line, but it will be available on the entire Delhi Metro network by 2022.
National Common Mobility Card is launched under the Prime Minister’s Digital India initiative. This one card known as “one nation one card” can also be used to pay for bus travel, retail shopping, parking, toll taxes and to withdraw money.
During the video conference, PM Modi said that the launch of the first driverless metro train shows India is moving towards smart systems.
Prime Minister Modi also mentioned that today total 18 cities have Metro rail service and it will be available in over 25 cities by 2025.
