The committee set up to lay down standards for metro rail systems in the country will recommend indigenous benchmarks on layout of platforms, size of tunnels and disaster management system, the government said today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday approved setting up of the committee to lay down standards for metro rail systems.
The committee will be headed by E Sreedharan, also known as the "Metro Man".
There are numerous areas for which indigenous standards need to be formulated, according to a statement issued by the PMO.
"These are layout of metro stations, platforms, signage and displays, size of tunnels, fire protection systems, disaster management systems, environment friendly and waste management systems, and standards for solar panels at stations," it said.
The indigenous standards will ensure that metro rail sub-systems for all new metro projects conform to the prescribed standards, thus incentivising manufacturers to plan for long term investments in the country and set up manufacturing units, the statement read.
This will also bring down the cost of the metro rail constructions and operation, it said.
Besides Sreedharan, the panel will have eight other members drawn from the Urban Development Ministry, the Railway and various metro corporations.
Today, 490 km of metro lines are operational in 10 different cities in the country and more than 600 km of metro rail projects are under construction in various cities.
In the coming years, more than 350 km of new construction will be started as more and more cities are planning for expansion or new constructions of metro rail.
In addition to metro rail network, Regional Rapid Transport System is also being introduced to decongest Delhi and the National Capital Region.
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