India’s first driverless metro train is here

29 Dec 2020 CW Team

India’s first-ever driverless train operations on Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line (Janakpuri West to Noida Botanical Garden) and the fully operational National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) services on the Airport Express Line were inaugurated on December 28 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference. With this introduction, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday entered the elite league of 7% of the world’s metro rail networks that operate without drivers.

The Magenta Line, or Line 8, is 38 km long. In the driverless mode, trains can be controlled entirely from the three command centres of the DMRC, without any human intervention. The driverless train operation (DTO) or unattended train operation (UTO) modes can be implemented only on Line 7 and Line 8 of the DMRC network which came up under the Phase III expansion. These corridors are equipped with an advanced signalling technology which makes the transition possible. For now, DMRC is rolling out the UTO mode on Line 8 only.

The driverless train took commuters by surprise, a media report said. The National Common Mobility Card was expanded to the Airport Express Line of Delhi Metro, which was started in Ahmedabad last year. The driverless train uses a braking system in which 50% of the energy goes back into the grid when the brakes are applied. Today 130 MW of solar power is being used in metro rail, which will be increased to 600 MW.

The driverless trains will soon be extended to Delhi Metro’s Pink Line, which will take the driverless network on the Delhi Metro to around 94 km, nearly 9% of Delhi Metro’s total network.

Watch a short video by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on the driverless train:

Real Estate

05 Sep 2025

Vitizen Hotels Signs Deal at Manyata Tech Park

Vikram Kamats Hospitality, as part of its ongoing expansion in key metropolitan markets, announced that its material subsidiary, Vitizen Hotels, has signed a long-term lease agreement for a 45-key hotel property at Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru.Strategically located in the city’s prominent IT hub, the property is well-positioned to serve corporate travelers, business professionals, and long-stay guests. The addition aligns with the company’s asset-light growth model, leveraging long-term leases to expand its footprint in high-demand urban markets.The hotel is expected to strengthen the comp..

CONCOR Signs MoU with BPIPL to Operate Container Terminal at Bhavnagar Port

Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhavnagar Port Infrastructure (BPIPL) on September 4, 2025, in New Delhi to operate and maintain the upcoming container terminal at the northside of Bhavnagar Port, Gujarat.BPIPL had earlier entered into an agreement with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in September 2024 for the port’s development. Under this arrangement, 235 hectares of land has been leased to BPIPL for 30 years, with provision for expansion by an additional 250 hectares.The new terminal is expected to significantly enhance logistic..

Concord Launches India’s First Indigenous Zero-Emission Rail Propulsion

Concord Control Systems (CCSL), a leader in embedded electronics and critical rail technologies, has announced the development of India’s first fully indigenous zero-emission propulsion system, marking a significant step toward the country’s railway electrification and net-zero goals for 2030.Powered by Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries and featuring a DC chopper-based drive, the propulsion system eliminates idling losses common in diesel engines, offering higher efficiency, lower costs, and zero emissions.What sets this innovation apart is its completely indigenous design. Except for..