Dynamic route maps & latest CCTV cameras: Delhi's old metro trains to get a technical touch-up

NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro is refurbishing its oldest trains with new upgrades. Nearly two decades old, the first train sets that were built in South Korea will now feature stretched LCD screens with dynamic route maps, sockets and USB ports for laptop and phone charging, state-of-the-art CCTV cameras and fire and smoke detection system monitored from the driver’s cabin through touch screens. They will also get new flooring and fresh interiors.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation plans to completely overhaul the 280 coaches (70 four-coach trains) that were initially built in South Korea and later in India for its Phase I project. The trains are primarily deployed on Red Line (Dilshad Garden-Rithala) and the Blue Line (Dwarka-Vaishali/Noida).


With a lifespan of around 35 years, the train sets are going through a ‘mid-life crisis’ and the revamp will extend their efficiency for 15 more years. To begin with, 10 train sets with 74 coaches will be overhauled. The work is expected to take up to 18 months, cost on average Rs 6 crore for each train set. The work will be carried out in DMRC’s Shastri Park, Yamuna Bank and Najafgarh depots.

The coach flooring will be replaced with non-skid, composite board with noise, vibration and heat insulation. DMRC will also spruce up the interiors by repainting of surfaces that have faded or where paint has peeled-off. The existing printed route maps in the coaches will be replaced with stretched LCD screens displaying dynamic route maps, interfaced with a public announcement system. These screens will display real-time information on train movement, with the position of the train indicated by a progressive bar. Information on door status (open or close), current station, destination station and interchange station will also be displayed.

The trains will also be fitted with charging sockets with LED indicators as well as fast-charging USB ports with LED indicators, a feature in trains manufactured for Phase II onwards. The older train sets will each get an adequate number of state-of-the-art CCTV cameras, with a minimum 15-day recording capacity. The CCTV feed from the train will also be available on a touchscreen on the driver’s desk.

The driver’s desk will also access live information from the fire and smoke detection systems that will be installed in the trains along with alarm sounders. The cutting-edge detectors will be able to pinpoint the exact location of a fire. The detectors are mounted on special bases allowing a quick installation and a proper and robust cabling. A locking mechanism will prevent tampering with the detector mounting.

At present, DMRC has a fleet of 2,206 coaches. These coaches undergo periodical preventive checks for their world-class upkeep, which is carried out at the 12 maintenance depots and workshops.