Kolkata Metro installing power backup system in underground stretch soon

Kolkata Metro Railway to install battery energy storage system for safety during power cuts in underground tunnels.

To help commuters safely reach the next station if a coach gets stranded in a tunnel due to a power cut, Kolkata Metro Railway will soon install a battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Central station substation of the 16 km Tollygunge-Dumdum underground stretch, authorities said on Monday (February 17, 2025).

"In case of a sudden power cut or grid failure, this new system - an amalgamation of inverters and advanced chemistry cell (ACC) batteries - will be useful to haul passenger-packed rakes at a speed of 30 km/hr from mid-tunnel to the next station," it added.

Of the entire Blue Line corridor (Dakshineswar-New Garia) covering a distance of 28 km, the Tollygunge-Dumdum underground stretch is 16 km long.

The new technology, another first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, is aimed at furthering the safety of commuters and improving energy consumption, the statement said.

Instead of waiting in the underground tunnels or on viaducts for restoration of power supply, thousands of passengers can be brought to safety as BESS will immediately be functional during any sudden power outage, it said.

Metro Railway engineers have devised this innovative blueprint to supply 4 MW power generated by this battery pack from a particular location to any station between Dumdum and Tollygunge under the North-South Corridor using a 33 KV system.

"The Railway Board has provided funds for smooth execution of this eco-friendly project which is expected to be fully functional by May," the statement said.