BMRCL sets Oct 25 for trial of Bengaluru Metro’s Baiyappanahalli-K R Puram Purple Line stretch

BMRCL Managing Director Anjum Parvez said the agency is “trying to begin the trials on October 25”. The BMRCL was earlier targeting a December 2022 completion of the extension to Whitefield if the Baiyappanahalli-K R Puram trials were to begin in September.

Parvez had last month stated that efforts were being made to conduct the trials in the middle of October. “The trial run scheduled earlier was delayed due to rainfall. It is now postponed to mid-week of October. However, we have already started the manual trolley trials, which are usually done before experimenting with the trains. The trial runs with the train will go on for at least two months till December,” he said.

The Baiyapanahalli to Whitefield stretch of the Purple Line runs over 15 km and will have two reaches: R1A — a stretch of 8.67 km running from Baiyappanahalli to Seetharama Palya — and a 7.14 km stretch labeled R1B from Seetharama Palya to Whitefield.

The BMRCL will initially run trials between Baiyapanahalli to K R Puram on the R1A stretch with one stop at Benniganahalli.

The completed Baiyapanahalli to Whitefield stretch will also have stops at Mahadevapura, Garudacharpalya, Hoodi Junction, Seetharama Palya, Kundalahalli, Nallurhalli, Sri Sathya Sai Hospital, Pattandur Agrahara, Kadugodi, Channasandra and Whitefield.

The extension of the Bengaluru Metro from Baiyapanahalli to Whitefield is expected to benefit thousands of commuters on the stretch who are forced to endure over two hours in traffic every day to get to Whitefield or travel to the city from Whitefield.

“The opening of the line before the New Year is unlikely. Although major construction work is already completed, we are setting up a 65-meter single girder at Baiyappanahalli depot, just ahead of the railway crossing. There is other depot work remaining where we have to set up a ramp to bring the train to the depot at Baiyappanahalli. The public can use the line in February 2023 if all things go well,” said Parvez.

The Baiyapanahalli -Whitefield Bengaluru Metro line is expected to benefit around three lakh passengers.