Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Metro passengers who travel in crowded coaches and often feel confused about where the train is headed will soon get better help. Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) plans to install new dynamic route map display systems in all Phase-1 metro trains to make travel easier, especially during peak hours.
Chennai Metro Trains New Features
These new displays will be LED-backlit LCD screens placed above the train doors. They will show real-time information about the route, including the next station and the stations ahead. In addition, the screens will display useful details such as major landmarks near each station, train speed, temperature, date, and time. This will help passengers follow their journey even when audio announcements cannot be heard clearly due to heavy crowd noise.
Chennai Metro Phase 1 Coach's Route Map Displays
At present, each Phase-1 coach has eight route map displays, but only four of them are dynamic. The remaining ones are static and do not show live updates. The dynamic displays indicate the approaching station with a blinking red light. However, because only a few screens provide live information and their placement is not always easy to see, many passengers miss their stations, especially during rush hours.
Under the new plan, CMRL will replace all static displays with dynamic ones in all 52 Phase-1 trains. This means every coach will have only dynamic screens, allowing passengers to see real-time station updates from anywhere inside the train.
Commuters' Opinions
A regular commuter, S Geetha, shared that she missed her stop twice during the morning rush because she could not hear the announcements and could not move to check the display due to overcrowding. She said having dynamic information on all screens would make travel much easier.
The new display system will also guide passengers on where to change platforms and board connecting trains. It will be integrated with the existing passenger information and signalling systems so that the information shown inside trains and at stations stays in sync. The upcoming Phase-2 driverless trains will also have similar display screens.
