South Bengaluru is just a couple of steps away from a Metro ride with Bengaluru development minister KJ George on Sunday stating that the service will be ready by April.
Trial runs on Namma Metro's southern corridor will start in a day or two. After that, the process of safety certification will begin.
Most of the construction work on the elevated corridor and stations in the southern corridor was completed two years ago. The underground portion between KR Market and Sampige Road Metro station took longer than expected, pushing the project beyond the deadline.
If the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation meets the April deadline, then the city completes Phase 1 of Namma Metro covering 42.3km. "If we get the safety certificate early, then the train could start running in February," the minister said.
George was addressing the media after inspecting the National College Metro station and adjacent stretches ahead of the trial runs.BMRC managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola said a battery-driven locomotive was attached to the train to push it through the tunnel up to the National College station for the first time.
The southern corridor is a 12km stretch from Chickpet to Puttenahalli. The trial runs will be restricted to the elevated stretch between National College station and Puttenahalli (Reach 4). Test runs on the 3.27km underground stretch between Chickpet and National College station is expected to begin in December.
"Track laying and cabling works are under way in the tunnel. Test runs will begin soon after," said Kharola.
The trial runs are planned on a single track on Reach 4 and are expected to get over in December. Kharola said the second track will be ready by then and test runs will be conducted with another train. Following this, the BMRC will seek safety clearance from the commissioner of metro rail safety as the final step before launching commercial operations.
Trial runs on Namma Metro's southern corridor will start in a day or two. After that, the process of safety certification will begin.
Most of the construction work on the elevated corridor and stations in the southern corridor was completed two years ago. The underground portion between KR Market and Sampige Road Metro station took longer than expected, pushing the project beyond the deadline.
If the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation meets the April deadline, then the city completes Phase 1 of Namma Metro covering 42.3km. "If we get the safety certificate early, then the train could start running in February," the minister said.
George was addressing the media after inspecting the National College Metro station and adjacent stretches ahead of the trial runs.BMRC managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola said a battery-driven locomotive was attached to the train to push it through the tunnel up to the National College station for the first time.
The southern corridor is a 12km stretch from Chickpet to Puttenahalli. The trial runs will be restricted to the elevated stretch between National College station and Puttenahalli (Reach 4). Test runs on the 3.27km underground stretch between Chickpet and National College station is expected to begin in December.
"Track laying and cabling works are under way in the tunnel. Test runs will begin soon after," said Kharola.
The trial runs are planned on a single track on Reach 4 and are expected to get over in December. Kharola said the second track will be ready by then and test runs will be conducted with another train. Following this, the BMRC will seek safety clearance from the commissioner of metro rail safety as the final step before launching commercial operations.