A metro train runs during the oscillation trial on the Yellow Line.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: In a significant milestone for the Yellow Line, oscillation and Emergency Braking System (EBS) trials began on Monday, igniting hopes that the much-delayed metro corridor could open by December.
The trials on the 19.15-km, RV Road-Bommasandra line are being conducted by officials from the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, and will take 12 to 15 days, according to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
In India, newly designed metro rolling stock (trainsets) are required to meet certain criteria before they can be introduced into commercial service. The oscillation trials help determine whether a train is safe to run at the desired speed and whether it provides passenger comfort.
For the Yellow Line, the BMRCL will use trainsets manufactured by China's CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which won a contract in 2019 to supply 216 coaches (36 trains) for Rs 1,578 crore.
The prototype, six-coach train arrived from China in February. Fourteen more trainsets for the Yellow Line are expected to start arriving from CRRC's Indian partner, Titagarh Rail System Ltd (TRSL) later this month.
Once the RDSO submits the oscillation trial report, the BMRCL said it would apply to the Railway Board seeking technical sanction for the trainset.
Once this is done, the BMRCL will invite the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) to conduct the statutory inspection of the Yellow Line. BMRCL officials expect all these processes to complete by November.