NEW DELHI, Dec 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday flagged off India's first driverless Metro train in Delhi at a virtual function. Modi also launched the multi- purpose National Common Mobility Card, which can be used on Airport Express Line.

Modi said the inauguration of the driverless train showed how fast India was moving towards smart systems. “When our Government was formed in 2014, only five cities had metro services and today 18 cities have metro rail service. By 2025, we will take this service to more than 25 cities,” the Prime Minister said.

The automated train will run on the 37-km Magenta line of Delhi Metro from Botanical Garden in Sector 37 in Noida, a satellite town in the National Capital Region, to Janakpuri West in west Delhi. The drivers will function as "roaming attendants” who will move around in the train to assist the passengers.

The driverless train has six coaches. Each coach can accommodate a maximum of 380 passengers or 2,280 passengers in each train. It has a maximum speed of 95 kmph and an operational speed of 85 kmph. After the Magenta Line (Line 8), the Pink Line (Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar - Line 7) of Delhi Metro is expected to have driverless operations by mid-2021.

Most of Delhi Metro operations are already automated. They are using the Automatic Train Operation (ATO) Mode. But the Unattended Train Operations (UTO) is possible only on Line 7 and 8 of the Metro. They have the advanced signalling technology. The UTO mode is now implemented on Line 8.

Only 7% of the world's Metro networks are currently operated without drivers.

The National Common Mobility Card, launched by Modi at the function, will enable anyone carrying a RuPay debit card of any bank to travel on the Airport Express Line using that card. It allows users to pay for travel, toll duties, retail shopping, and withdraw money using one card.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also present in the virtual programme.