Kolkata Metro to Install Power Backup System on Underground Stretch

18 Feb 2025 CW Team

Kolkata Metro Railway is set to install a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Central Station substation to enhance commuter safety during power outages. This system will ensure uninterrupted operations on the 16 km underground Tollygunge-Dumdum stretch of the Blue Line corridor (Dakshineswar-New Garia), which spans 28 km.

The BESS, comprising inverters and advanced chemistry cell (ACC) batteries, will enable trains to operate at 30 km/h during power cuts or grid failures, ensuring that passenger-filled coaches can safely reach the nearest station. This initiative aims to improve both commuter safety and energy management along the North-South Corridor.

The system is designed to provide 4 MW of power from a centralized location to stations using a 33 KV supply. This eco-friendly project, funded by the Railway Board, is expected to be operational by May. After the installation at Central Station, seven additional BESS units with a 1 MW capacity each will be added, incorporating Traction Energy Storage System (TESS) in new substations. These enhancements will strengthen power backup services across the Blue Line and are projected to reduce peak hour energy demand, potentially saving Kolkata Metro Railway up to Rs 7 crore over the system’s lifespan.

Additionally, the BESS will store energy at night for use during high-demand daytime hours and will serve as an emergency power source in case of a fire, supporting tunnel ventilation, track exhaust systems, and platform ventilation, thereby enhancing overall metro safety and efficiency.

News source: Financial Express

Building Material

08 Apr 2026

Jindal Aluminium Marks 56 Years of Industrial Leadership

Jindal Aluminium Limited has marked its 56th Inception Day, celebrating a legacy built on vision, resilience and manufacturing leadership. Founded in 1968 and incorporated in 1970 by Padma Bhushan Dr Sitaram Jindal, the company has grown into a major force in India’s downstream aluminium sector under the leadership of Pragun Jindal Khaitan.The company is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium extruded products and the second-largest producer of aluminium flat-rolled products. With a turnover of around Rs 5,500 crore and a workforce of over 4,000, Jindal Aluminium continues to strengthen..

Tunnelling Begins for Thane, Borivali twin tunnel project

Tunnelling work has commenced for the 11.84-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel, set to be India’s longest urban road tunnel, marking a key milestone in Mumbai’s infrastructure development.As per a post shared by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority on social media platform X, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) ‘Nayak’—the country’s largest single-shield hard rock TBM for an urban tunnel—was launched by Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday. The event was attended by Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, among other dignitaries. A second TBM, ‘Arjuna’, is expected to be launched so..

Large Format Store Planned At M G Road Metro Station

M G Road station in Bengaluru is set to host the city’s first large-format commercial and experience space, with planning led by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. BMRCL has invited proposals to develop and operate a central business district destination at the Purple?Pink Line interchange. The plan positions the station as a commercial hub designed to serve a broad commuter base across the city. The proposal is part of a broader effort to activate transit nodes commercially. Tender documents set a minimum monthly rental of Rs 0.944 million (mn), inclusive of GST, for the large-format..