The metro train is undergoing a final set of trials in the underground stretch between the Majestic and Cubbon Park stations before the commercial launch of the underground section of the Baiyappanahalli- Mysuru Road east-west corridor.
The date for the commercial launch will be announced in 10-15 days and after the completion of the trials.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited Managing Director, P S Kharola, told Deccan Herald that the safety trials had been completed. “There were some issues the Commissioner for Railway Safety (CRS) had raised over safety during his inspection last week. We have addressed all of them. Safety has been taken care of as per the directions of the CRS. We had to obtain a fire safety certificate, particularly concerning the Majestic station. That too has been done,” he said.
Now, the service trials are underway. During this period, the train is run like it would in actual circumstances. “We are doing service trials to fine-tune the train timings. We are running it as though it is a train with full load of passengers – the speed, the stopping at stations, etc. Since the distance between the stations is about one km, we are running the trains at the speed that is required to run between the stations and at the speed that trains are now running at. That will give us the data about the trains – when to stop, when to start, at what speed to approach stations, how to run during gradients, etc. All these are part of the service trials we are undertaking to get ready for the commercial launch,” Kharola said.
The trains can run at a maximum of 80 km/hr, while in actuality, they run at 38 km/hr. It can run at 80 km/hr only if there is a long stretch and at least a two-km distance between the stations. If it runs at 80 km/hr now, it won’t have enough time to decelerate as it approaches a station and will find it hard to stop at the required station. The 38 km/hr speed allows the train to stop at the required station. The distance required to start immediately again will also be less.