In a significant move to enhance operational reliability and passenger safety, Metro Railway Kolkata has commissioned a 4 MW / 6.4 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) along its Blue Line corridor, spanning the underground stretch from Dumdum to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar.
The newly deployed battery system is designed to ensure uninterrupted metro operations during grid disturbances and power outages. In the event of a supply failure, the BESS enables stranded trains between stations to be safely moved to the nearest platform, mitigating the risk of mid-tunnel halts. It also provides backup support to essential infrastructure, including tunnel ventilation, lighting, and signalling systems, thereby reinforcing safety standards across the network.
The project has been implemented in collaboration with Delta Electronics India, which supplied lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology integrated with advanced power electronics. The installation forms part of a broader microgrid architecture and is among the first large-scale underground metro deployments in India to integrate such an energy storage solution.
Apart from emergency backup capabilities, the BESS is expected to optimise power consumption patterns and stabilise load fluctuations, contributing to improved energy efficiency. The initiative aligns with India’s wider decarbonisation and sustainable urban mobility objectives.
With metro rail systems across the country increasingly exploring electrification and storage-based resilience strategies, the Kolkata deployment is expected to serve as a reference model for similar projects in other cities.
