Kolkata: Kolkata Metro Railway has further expanded its fleet on the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Kavi Subhash) with the induction of two more Dalian rakes, MR-507 and MR-509, from June 26. With these additions, the total number of Dalian rakes in passenger service has risen to seven.
Both rakes commenced their maiden commercial runs from Noapara station on Thursday. MR-507 departed at 11:53 am, followed by MR-509 at 2:13 pm. Their return journeys from Kavi Subhash (New Garia) began at 1:03 pm and 3:19 pm, respectively.
Designed with upgraded features aimed at improving the commuting experience, the new rakes come with 100 mm wider automatic doors to ensure quicker boarding and alighting, especially during peak hours. The coaches also offer increased seating capacity, with additional provisions for senior citizens and differently-abled commuters, including dedicated wheelchair parking spaces. Passengers can also expect enhanced air-conditioning, improved noise insulation and eye-soothing illumination.
Additional features include CCTV surveillance inside coaches, wider modular vestibules, small and sleek alarm devices with external indicator lamps, multi-coloured multilingual display boards, upgraded air diffusers and handrails near the doors.
On the technical side, the rakes feature integrated rainwater drainage systems, a paint-free stainless steel car body, improved door channels with side stoppers and enhanced energy efficiency, making them more environmentally friendly.