Installation of Escalators and Lifts commences in Delhi-Meerut RRTS Priority Section

New Delhi, India (Metro Rail Today): The installation of escalators and lifts on the 82 km long Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor has begun. Guldhar station is the first to get the escalator installed in the priority section and the installation has also been started at Sahibabad RRTS station.

Commuter-centricity is the core principle in the implementation of the RRTS project and NCRTC is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the same. Most of the RRTS stations have 3 to 4 levels. To enhance the accessibility and ensure an easy, hassle-free journey for the commuters, especially for the elderly, specially-abled, children and women, a suitable number of lifts and escalators are being installed at the stations.

There are 5 stations in the Priority Section, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Guldhar, Duhai and Duhai depot. A total of 36 escalators and 26 lifts will be installed in these stations. Till now, 8 escalators and 4 lifts have been completed so far in the priority section. Of these, 4 escalators and 2 lifts have been installed at Guldhar station and 4 escalators and 2 lifts are being installed at Sahibabad station.

The RRTS projects excuting authority, National Capotal Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) awarded the contract for delivery and installation of 162 escalators to Schindler India Pvt Ltd for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor. These escalators are being manufactured in Pune, Maharashtra. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, these escalators will enable ease of movement as well as save energy.

Similarly, the contract to provide lifts for the corridor has been given to Otis India Pvt Ltd, which will deliver 111 lifts. All these lifts are being manufactured at the company's factory in Bangalore.

Some of the salient features of the escalators to be installed on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor are as follows -

1. Skirt guards between the side panels of the escalator and the steps (ladders) to reduce the chances of loose clothing like sarees getting tangled.
2. To protect the fingers of the passengers while using the escalator, the handrail of the escalator shall be fitted with a finger guard.
3. There will be several automatic safety devices, including an anti-reversal device, drive chain broken device, handrail broken device, escalator over speed device, step sag/step broken device, Up-thrust device, step missing device, handrail monitoring device, etc. to prevent passengers from falling off the escalator upon abnormal operation of the escalator
4. For a firm grip, the escalator will have "V" type handrails.
5. Each escalator will have four flat steps with yellow lines and yellow lights for easy boarding and deboarding.
6. Inside the station, the side of the escalators installed in the paid area will be made of glass while in the non-paid area it will be of stainless steel.
7. For the safety of the passengers on the escalator, there will be additional emergency stop switches at the top and bottom of the escalator, which can be used to stop the escalator if required.

Along with this, to provide universal access and facilitate smooth travel in the RRTS trains, a designated space for wheelchairs and stretchers has been provided in the train coaches. Special bigger lifts have also been installed at the stations to facilitate the movement of stretchers.