The Hindu : National : First public test of Sky Bus Metro Rail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 16, 2004

National

National

First public test of Sky Bus Metro Rail

By Anil Sastry

MARGAO (GOA), SEPT. 15. They were anxious onlookers as well as occupants of railway coaches. Anxious because they never had seen or experienced the journey that was just beginning. As the coaches, equipped with computer-controlled motors, started moving and gained a speed of 40 kms an hour and safely covered a distance of one km, all of them were in smiles. The coaches then returned to the makeshift platform.

This was the first public test of the Sky Bus Metro Rail, brainchild of the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL), here today when a posse of journalists from Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra was taken for the test ride.

Also present were the KRCL managing director, B. Rajaram, who is the mentor of the Sky Bus project and other officials of the Konkan Railway.

The Minister for Railways, Lalu Prasad Yadav, will dedicate the new technology to the nation on October 15.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Rajaram said the KRCL had requested the Research Development and Safety Organisation (RDSO) to certify the Sky Bus for its safety, while the scientists of the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre were already on the job of analysing the behaviour of various components used in the project. Terming the test trial as a "press preview," Mr. Rajaram allayed fears about the safety aspects of the project.

`Same safety norms'

As the technology was not in existence in the world, the Union Ministry of Urban Development has said that the safety norms, which were applicable to the Railways, would hold good for the Sky Bus technology also except for a few additions. He noted that the KRCL has prepared the draft Sky Bus Metro Rail Act considering the need for a separate legislation to govern the new technology. The KRCL had approached M/s TUV Rhineland, Germany for safety certification for overseas countries as the Indian safety certification would not hold good abroad, Mr. Rajaram said.

On the commercial front of the new technology, the MD said the KRCL offered technology against royalty to prospective agencies as well as participation in projects on a turnkey basis. Mr. Rajaram, who has surrendered the patent standing in his name to the President of India and in turn to the KRCL, said the Corporation would earn royalty at the rate of 10 per cent of the project cost. Already expression of interest from various cities and States worth Rs. 50,000 crores had been received, he added.

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