The First Phase of Hyderabad Metro Rail started its operations recently and the response has been phenomenal. Currently, Metro trains are being operated in the semi-automatic mode with loco pilots at the helm, there is a provision to go driverless and run fully automatic.
Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd has adopted Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system and plans to utilize it to run trains without loco pilots once all the three corridors are operational and frequency increases. Currently, Hyderabad Metro has about 100 loco pilots. Once the trains are in auto-pilot mode, trains can be controlled and monitored from state-of-the-art Operation Control Centre at Uppal.
Trains are being run at a frequency of seven minutes between Miyapur-Ameerpet (13 km) and 15 minutes between Ameerpet-Nagole. In future, the frequency would be increased to even two minutes and even 90 seconds, depending on the demand.
