DMRC Academy in Shastri Park Trains Over 1.1 Lakh Trainees Across 400 Courses
Inside the Shastri Park Metro Depot in northeast Delhi, the DMRC Academy is training thousands of metro and transit personnel using advanced motion simulators and virtual reality laboratories. The facility prepares operators to handle around 250 emergency and malfunction scenarios, including severe weather conditions, track obstructions, failed trains, and degraded-mode operations.
Established in July 2002, the academy has trained nearly 1.1 lakh people to date. This includes over 1 lakh Delhi Metro Rail Corporation personnel, more than 7,900 trainees from external organisations, and around 200 international trainees. The institute possesses the capacity to train 1,020 personnel at a time and offers more than 400 courses across technical domains.
The training infrastructure is spread across 37 simulators and 12 model rooms. These include driving simulators, train door maintenance simulators, brake system simulators, and signalling room simulators. Motion simulators replicate train movement and braking jerks, while virtual reality and augmented reality labs allow trainees to practise procedures involving high-voltage systems safely.
The academy also houses the Centre of Excellence of Tunnel and Underground Space Engineering. The centre features tunnel models equipped with station platforms, walkways, cables, fire lines, and sprinklers, alongside a 6.6-metre-diameter tunnel boring machine cutter head and elevator and escalator models.
Beyond Delhi Metro operations, the academy provides specialised instruction to personnel from other organisations. Trainees include officials from the National Highways Authority of India for tunnels and underground spaces, Indian Railways for escalator and lift management, Canara Bank for civil engineering, Brahmaputra Board for quality management, and the Steel Authority of India Limited for project planning, execution, and control.
According to DMRC officials, the academy plays a key role in developing skilled manpower, supporting emerging metro systems, and facilitating technical knowledge exchange in urban rail transportation.
