Keith Barrow

THE inaugural trial run of India's first metro train to be equipped for Unattended Train Operation (UTO) was flagged off by India's urban development minister Mr M Venkaiah Naidu and the chief minister of Delhi Mr Arvind Kejriwal in a ceremony at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's Mukundpur depot on May 17.

THE prime minister of Malaysia Mr Najib Razak confirmed on May 17 that he expects to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with his Singaporean counterpart Mr Lee Hsien Loong in July setting out conditions for the financing, construction, and operation of the 330km Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high-speed line.

ZÜRICH City Council and the Transport Council of the Canton of Zürich have approved the acquisition of 70 metre-gauge Flexity 2 LRVs from Bombardier to replace the ageing Tram 2000 fleet introduced in the 1970s.

DENMARK's largest rail freight operator DB Cargo Scandinavia (DBCS) has warned it could be forced to pull out of the market because of the cost of equipping its locomotives with ETCS.

THE Norwegian government has approved the financial plan for infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket's national ERTMS rollout as part of its 2016 budget, which was announced on May 11.

ALSTOM announced on May 17 that it has been granted planning permission by Halton Borough Council to acquire 30 acres of land for a new 30-acre rail technology and training centre at Widnes near Liverpool.

AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) CEO Mr Christian Kern resigned from his post with immediate effect on May 17 after being selected to become the next chancellor of the Austrian republic.

POLISH rolling stock manufacturer Pesa signed an agreement with the Polish Development Fund (PFR) on May 16 to establish a locomotive leasing unit.

THE first phase of a programme to electrify the suburban rail network around the Sri Lankan capital Colombo will cost around $US 300m, according to a recently-completed study.

TEL AVIV Metropolitan Mass Transit System (NTA), the public company responsible for developing the city's light rail network, published a tender on May 15 for the operation and maintenance of the Red Line.