Rail Safety Commissioner conducts inspection of Whitefield Metro line

BENGALURU: The Railway Safety Commissioner will be conducting a complete inspection of the KR Puram- Whitefield Metro line for three days starting February 22.

The line between KR Puram and Whitefield will be 12.75 km long and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has completed three phases of trial runs. The last phase of the trials started on February 22 and five trains are being run at a speed of 90 kmph. During the trial, the Railway Safety Commissioner will be present to conduct a complete inspection, and every aspect of the new route will be checked during the three days.

Railway Safety Commissioner will conduct a complete inspection between the KR Puram and Whitefield Metro lines  for three days.

The Railway Safety Commissioner will submit a detailed report and if the trial run is completed without any technical glitches, then the line will be open to the public from March 15.

However, with the start of the new Metro service, the BMRCL is likely to face a shortage of trains. At present, every day, 50 trains cover the existing 45 km network in the city and with the Phase 3 line, the Metro coverage will extend to about 70 km.

At present, Namma Metro trains run every five minutes during peak hours, but there is a chance of delays on the new line due to the shortage of trains. China’s CRRC company has not yet provided 216 coaches. The BMRCL is planning to open ‘Namma Metro’ service for the travelling public in March, ahead of Assembly polls in the state.

Anjum Parwez, Managing Director of BMRCL

“We have good news for Namma Metro riders. The line between KR Puram and Whitefiled will be open for commuters in March. The Railway Safety Commissioner’s certificate is important, if they are fullly satisfied, they will allow us to proceed. They will conduct three days of inspections beginning on February 22. They will check everything from testing of trains to signalling. After their inspection, they will ask us to make changes, if any. If everything goes well, it will be open to the public”, said Anjum Parwez, Managing Director of BMRCL.