La sécurité du Metro Express mise en doute : Metro Express Limited répond

Les rames du Metro Express ont été fabriquées en Espagne par une compagnie spécialisée et selon les réglementations ainsi que les normes de l’Union européenne. C’est ce qu’affirme Metro Express Limited (MEL) dans un communiqué publié, ce mercredi 16 octobre.

Metro Express Limited apporte ces précisions à la suite «de publications et d’émissions récentes dans les médias, qui ont émis des doutes sur la qualité, la sécurité et les opérations du projet Metro Express».

«Nos rames de métro ne sont pas ‘reconditionned’», tient à préciser Shirley Cateaux, Communication Officer de Metro Express Limited. Des «Trial Runnings» sont effectués tous les jours en ce mois d’octobre et «tout se passe bien», indique Metro Express Limited.

Ci-dessous à lire le communiqué de Metro Express Limited dans son intégralité :

Following recent publications and broadcasts in the media, casting doubts on the quality, safety and operations of the Metro Express Project (the Project), Metro Express Ltd (MEL) wishes to bring to the attention of the media and the public at large the following information:

1. MEL’s Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) are purpose-built brand new in Spain by the specialised company, Construcciónes y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) according to European standards, and tailored to respond to the needs of the Project. Our LRV’s are the 3 rd Generation URBOS 100, considered as being among the best LRVs in the world.

2. The 3rd Generation URBOS 100 has several technical innovations and is an ultra-modern model, currently in service in various countries such as Germany, USA, Australia, Spain, Sweden, Brazil and France amongst others.

3. Officers of MEL, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), MEL consultants (SMRT/RITES) as well as the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, physically visited CAF factories in February 2019, where MEL’s LRVs are being manufactured. MEL’s consultants have also supervised the manufacturing of these LRV and assured MEL regarding its manufacturing standards, quality and reliability.

4. Testing of MEL’s LRVs started in July 2019 and are progressing well with the help of all stakeholders. Dynamic testing and trial runs from Rose Hill to Port Louis and vice versa are currently being done on a daily basis. These trial runs are being operated by experienced trained captains and controllers from the SMRT, Singapore accompanied by MEL staff.

5. Various tests and quality assurances on our systems are being witnessed by MEL, RITES, L&T, CAF engineers and technicians and other stakeholders, according to international norms, standards and guidelines.

6. Furthermore, MEL has in its design already embedded four (4) levels of assurance: a) First, L&T, as the Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) Contractor, ensures all the works are carried out as per specifications and requirements of our contract; b) Second, RITES Ltd, who is the project supervisor, ensures that L&T is working as per the set standards by verifying and checking all aspects of the system, from its design to completion state; c) Third, MEL staff and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) consultants monitor the overall delivery of the project; and d) Fourth, together with our Singaporean consultants, SMRT, we are ensuring MEL is fully operational ready as per our schedule through the training of local staff and establish operation and maintenance procedures, manuals and protocols.

7. MEL has taken all safety and security measures in order to prepare for the general public to travel on board our LRV’s in November. Moreover, we work closely with all the concerned authorities in order to obtain the necessary assurances.

8. Furthermore, MEL reassures everyone that there has never been any electrical short circuit nor any systems crashes. MEL will issue further information on the Metro Express Project as the project progresses.

Thank you.

MEL Management Ebène 16 October 2019.