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After Railways nod, Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line edges closer to October opening
Once the Pink Line stretch becomes operational, Bengaluru’s Metro network will cross the 100-km mark.
Once the Pink Line stretch becomes operational, Bengaluru’s Metro network will cross the 100-km mark. (File Photo)
Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line is a step closer to opening, with the Railway Board Wednesday approving new BEML train sets for its 7.5-km elevated stretch, paving the way for safety inspection and likely passenger services in October.
A senior Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official said the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) inspection and authorisation are likely in the first week of October, and services may begin in the second or third week of the month.
“The sanction is an important prerequisite for the commissioning of the elevated section and will form part of the documents to be submitted to CMRS for inspection and examination. The opening of the elevated section for passenger services will be subject to the mandatory CMRS inspection and authorisation, as per the prescribed procedures,” BMRCL said in a statement.
The 21.25 km Pink Line will connect Kalena Agrahara and Nagawara, with 13.76 km of underground corridor and a 7.5 km elevated section. It will have 18 stations and connect M G Road, Pottery Town, IIM Bangalore, J P Nagar 4th phase, Hulimavu, and other areas.
The 7.5 km first phase is expected to cover six stations, beginning at Kalena Agrahara and connecting through Hulimavu, IIM-B, and JP Nagar 4th Phase before reaching Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere. The Jayadeva Hospital stop will provide an interchange with the Yellow Line.
Recently, BMRCL also received the Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) certificate for signalling systems.
Earlier in September, Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, BJP South MP Tejasvi Surya, and several other leaders and officials had inspected the Pink Metro line.
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“A sufficient number of trains required to commence operations on this stretch are currently available,” Gowda had said.
Once the stretch becomes operational, Bengaluru’s Metro network will cross the 100-km mark. Presently, Namma Metro operates a 96-km network, comprising 43.5km of the Purple Line, 33.5km of the Green Line, and 19.2 km of the Yellow Line.
Currently, Namma Metro’s average weekday ridership in Bengaluru is about 9.16 lakh, with the Purple Line at about 4.66 lakh. With the Pink Line opening, average daily ridership is likely to exceed 10 lakh.
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