ON FEBRUARY 3, Delhi Metro Rail Corp completed the launching of the Yamuna bridge, which forms the centrepiece of its 8·3 km initial section of Line 2 between Shahdara and Tiz Hazari (MR 00 p32). The incrementally-launched 555m long 12-span bridge has a 25-segment girder weighing 14000 tonnes. Built by Larsen & Toubro, the bridge cost Rs376m.
The previous week, DMRC awarded a Rs508m contract to ABB for the turnkey electrification system on Line 2. This covers supply, installation and commissioning of traction and auxiliary power supplies, plus a Scada system to manage power distribution. ABB will be working with local partner Best & Crompton.
- Indian Railways has started a Rs240m programme to electrify the Luknow Circular Railway, ready for the introduction of 25 kV AC EMUs on local rail services from March 2002. The project covers 64 km of track on 38 route-km, split between the Northern and Northeast Frontier railways.
The project follows completion of the Kanpur - Lucknow electrification, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the beginning of February. IR is currently planning the electrification of its Luknow - Varanasi and Luknow - Moradabad main lines. n
