Bengaluru: Namma Metro's Green Line extension — a 3.14-km stretch from Nagasandra to Madavara in northwestern Bengaluru — will likely open in September-end, two senior officials said on Monday.
This extension, which includes three stations at Manjunath Nagar, Chikkabidarakallu and Madavara, has been the slowest to build in Namma Metro's history due to land acquisition challenges and financial struggles faced by the contractor.
Simplex Infrastructures Limited was awarded the civil work contract in February 2017 with a 27-month deadline. Nearly 90 months later, work is still going on at the Madavara metro station. Simplex's other contracts, including the elevated section of the Pink Line and the Ejipura flyover, have been terminated.
Starting August 13, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin signaling tests on the Green Line extension, and hopes to conduct trial runs next week if everything goes as planned. To facilitate these tests, the BMRCL will curtail train services between Peenya Industry and Nagasandra from August 13 to 15 (see the box for details).
BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao told DH: "We will conduct a series of signalling, traction, track and other major tests to ensure that the line and stations are ready for opening by the end of September. Civil works are going on concurrently."
BMRCL Chief Public Relations Officer B L Yashavanth Chavan said the signalling test results would determine when the trial run could start.
"Based on these tests, we will proceed with a trial run between Nagasandra and Madavara. Our goal is to complete the tests early so that everything, including statutory safety inspections, is finalised by the end of September," he said.
Metro curtailment
Train services will be curtailed between Peenya Industry and Nagasandra as follows:
Aug 13: The last train will be at 10 pm instead of 11 pm.
Aug 14: The first train will be at 6 am instead of 5 am and the last train at 10 pm instead of 11 pm.
Aug 15: The first train will be at 6 am instead of 5 am.
Aug 13 and 14: The train from Nagasandra will be at 10 pm instead of 11.05 pm.
Aug 14 and 15: The first train from Nagasandra will be at 6 am instead of 5 am.
Aug 13 and 14: The last train from Peenya Industry to Silk Institute will be at 11.12 pm.
Aug 14 and 15: The first train from Peenya Industry to Silk Institute will be at 5 am.
Paper tickets for flower show
On Aug 15, 17 and 18, Namma Metro will issue return journey paper tickets for Rs 30 at the Lalbagh metro station from 8 am to 10 pm for visitors attending the Independence Day flower show.
These paper tickets will be valid for travel from Lalbagh to any metro station on the day of purchase.
While visitors can travel to Lalbagh by buying tokens, cards and QR tickets, no tokens will be issued for outbound travel from Lalbagh during this period.