Kolkata: Kolkata Metro has launched a new Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) communication system on the Blue and Yellow Lines.
The project was supplied and implemented by Motorola Solutions. It included a variety of new equipment, from handheld radios to units in the train cabs.
In the Purple and Orange Lines, Kolkata Metro has officially integrated TETRA with the existing systems. This has created a single, robust network across four of Kolkata’s key Metro routes.
TETRA will add to the safety aspects, especially for the sections of the lines that run underground.
The tech ensures train operators and station staff communicate with the central control room instantly and without interruption, even deep inside the tunnels.
TETRA will also help address a significant issue faced by the Kolkata Metro, especially on the Blue Line. Suicides and suicide attempts are a recurring and serious problem.
The newly built Green Line has Platform Screen Doors, which act as a physical barrier to prevent people from accessing the tracks. However, the 40+-year-old Blue Line lacks these due to its age and the cost and logistical challenges of retrofitting. While TETRA does not prevent a person from jumping, it ensures that rescue and recovery operations can be coordinated more effectively and quickly. This will minimize the service disruption for all commuters.