Driverless Metro trains to reach Kolkata in March 2018

Kolkata : Dream to see driverless Metro trains running in Kolkata is likely to turn into a reality from March 2018.

"There is a target that all the new metro rakes in the city from March 2018 would be grade of automation 3 (GoA 3) driverless rakes," IANS quoted Yatish Kumar, Director, Research Design and Standards Organisations, Indian Railways.

GoA 3 refers to the driverless operation of trains where the attendant is only required to open and shut doors at the stations, while movement of the train is completely computerised.

Kumar said the new rakes could be imported from China and will be for existing metro routes, including the new East West and Dum Dum-Garia metro sections.

Chennai, Bangalore and Lucknow already have GoA 3 rakes.

The officials are also working to bring GoA 4, where operation of doors is also automated.