Bentley > Case Studies > Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Leverages IoT for Phase IV Expansion Project

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Leverages IoT for Phase IV Expansion Project

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization
Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Event-Driven Application

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Railway & Metro

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Track & Trace of Assets
Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing

Services

System Integration

About The Customer

Established in 1995, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation operates 266 trains with four, six, and eight coaches. More than 100 six-coach trains and 60 eight-coach trains are currently operational. The DMRC is responsible for the design, construction, and operation of the metro rail system in Delhi and the National Capital Region. The organization is committed to providing a reliable, safe, and efficient metro rail service to the local population while also reducing their environmental impact. The DMRC is the first railway project in the world to claim carbon credits for regenerative braking and has been certified by the United Nations as the first metro rail and rail-based system in the world to get carbon credits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Challenge

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was tasked with the Phase IV expansion of its metro system to improve rail connectivity between Delhi and the further regions of the National Capital Region. The project involved constructing a new 104-kilometer metro railway line connecting the Majlis Park metro station to the RK Ashram Marg metro station. The DMRC faced several challenges in this project. Firstly, Delhi is a densely populated area with over 27.9 million people as of 2016, resulting in heavy congestion and minimal land availability. This necessitated the proposal of alternative design options in the construction of the railway to circumvent congested areas. Secondly, the railway line had to maintain safe offset distances from historical monuments to prevent their deterioration. Lastly, the project team had to review the detailed project report and propose changes in the alignment design for the railway track section based on current requirements.

The Solution

To overcome these challenges, the DMRC project team utilized OpenRail Designer (formerly Bentley’s Power Rail Track) to prepare the alignment. This software allowed the team to integrate Google Maps into their design process, providing a more comprehensive visualization and increasing efficiency. The team was able to easily modify the alignment, including shifting and lengthening stations and tunnels, changing track alignment, deepening stations to fit clearance levels, and rotating tracks to avoid densely populated residential areas, station boxes, and multistory buildings. The proposed design maintained safe offset distances from protected monuments while minimizing property acquisition at the station location. The geographic capabilities in OpenRail Designer reduced the cost of the project and the resource hours, allowing the project to be delivered on time.

Operational Impact

The use of OpenRail Designer in the Phase IV expansion project has resulted in several operational benefits for the DMRC. The software's 3D capabilities allowed the team to easily visualize the final proposal and share it with all participants, improving collaboration and decision-making. The ability to integrate Google Maps into the design process provided a more comprehensive visualization, increasing efficiency and accuracy in the design process. The team was able to easily modify the alignment to circumvent congested areas and maintain safe distances from historical monuments, ensuring the preservation of the city's cultural heritage. The project continues DMRC’s continual efforts to help the local population travel easier and safer, while also reducing their environmental impact.

Quantitative Benefit

The project team completed the alignment design of the railway line in under three months.
Using OpenRail Designer, the team was able to reduce resource hours and project costs.
The Delhi Metro rail system has helped to reduce pollution levels in the city of New Delhi by 630,000 metric tons every year.