After a long wait, residents of southern Bengaluru will see Metro trains running on the elevated corridor between National College and Yelachenahalli in two days. With the commencement of trial runs, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) hopes to meet the April 2017 deadline to complete the entire Phase I network.
At 7 pm on Saturday, the BMRCL pushed a battery-powered train from the Peenya depot to National College station through the underground corridor, where the work is still going on.
“We will carry out inspection on Sunday while the commencement of actual trial runs may begin in two to three days,” a senior BMRCL official told DH.
The BMRCL will use a three-coach train for the trial run on the 8-km elevated corridor. The trials might need two to three months. Meanwhile, we will finish track-laying, cabling and electrical work on the underground stretch between Sampige Road Metro station and KR Market Metro station,” the official explained.
Once the trial run between National College and Yelachenahalli Metro station is complete, the BMRCL needs approval from the Commissioner of Rail Safety (CRS). However, there is no official word on whether the BMRCL would approach CRS soon after the trial run on the elevated corridor or wait for the completion of even the underground corridor.
Long wait
It was a long wait for southern Bengaluru. Although the elevated corridor was ready in 2012, the BMRCL could not start commercial operations due to a huge delay in the completion of underground work.
With pressure from the public, the BMRCL had proposed to lift Metro trains on to the piers but later dropped the idea in the absence of connectivity to the depot for daily maintenance.
At the moment, the BMRCL has pushed the train from Sampige Road underground stretch to National College using a single line where Kaveri Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) broke through.
In the underground section, the BMRCL is racing against time to complete a variety of works including track-laying, installing the third rail, cabling and electricals.
Inspection today
KJ George, Minister for Bengaluru Development of Town Planning will inspect the National College Metro station of Reach-4 on Sunday. In order to facilitate integration testing of trains on Reach-4 and 4A section between National College and Yelachenahalli, revenue services between Kuvempu Road, Srirampuram and Mantri Square Sampige Road station were not available on Saturday between 2 pm and 4 pm. Later, the power block was lifted and the revenue services resumed.