BEL signs MoU with DMRC to develop indigenous Communication Based Train Control system

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): Defence public sector undertaking (PSU) Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC) to develop indigenous communication-based train control systems (i-CBTC) for Delhi Metro Rail Network on 7th November 2022.

Manoj Jain, Director (R&D), BEL and Om Hari Pande (Director, Electrical), DMRC exchanged the MoU in the presence of senior officials of both DMRC and BEL at Metro Bhawan, New Delhi.

"i-CBTC, being indigenously developed for the first time in the country, would ensure unmanned operations of Metro trains. It is a big leap forward in the field of metro and rail automation and will give a boost to the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' mission of the Central government," BEL said in a statement.

The Communication Based Train Control Signaling technology i.e. CBTC is being widely adopted by most of the countries around the globe specially for its feature of moving block which allows high frequency of trains. Being the latest technology in the field of Metro train signaling, CBTC promises efficient use of Metro infrastructure providing safe operations.

It is a major step towards the development of an indigenously built signaling system in India and a big step towards achieving self-reliance in Metro Signaling  & Train Control Systems. This will facilitate and foster innovation, enhance local skill, reduce deployment cost of Metros and lead to evolution of expertise within the country in the field of train control signaling systems.

The project is being implemented under the ambit of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The MoU aims at leveraging the complementary strengths and capabilities of BEL and DMRC.

BEL has been conferred as "Excellence in Indigenous Innovation for Rail & Metro" at the 2nd ‘Urban Infra Business Award 2022’ in recognition of its contributions, in line with the Government’s ‘Make in India initiative’, for the transformation of Metro and Rail commutation in India. BEL has been developing indigenous technologies for the implementation of Intelligent Transportation System in Metro trains.

The award was given at a grand ceremony hosted in New Delhi on 7th November 2022 by Urban Infra Communication.