The long-awaited Namma Metro’s Yellow Line is likely to start operating later this year, with five to six trains running every 20 minutes. The development comes after the start of full-scale trial runs on the delayed corridor.
The Yellow Line is part of the second phase of the Bengaluru Metro project, which will connect RV Road in the south of the city to the fast-developing suburb of Bommasandra on the outskirts of the city.
Jayadeva, Central Silk Board, and Electronics City are on the metro line.
The train started its trial run from Bommasandra at 12.43 pm on Thursday, June 13. The train halted for two minutes at each of the 14 intermediate stations before reaching RV Road. The train started its return journey to Bommasandra after a half-hour halt at RV Road. Signalling and track conditions were checked during the trial.
BMRCl managing director Maheshwar Rao M described it as the “beginning of routine testing for making the line operational”. “This will continue and will go on for three to four months,” he said. When the second and third trains arrive, we will conduct additional tests and seek permission from CMRS, said the Metro Rail Safety Commissioner. Rao also said the speed of the trains will be gradually increased as the tests go on.
Rao said that BMRCL is expected to receive the second train by the end of July and the third train by August 15. BMRCL aims to start commercial operations with only 5 to 6 trains, though eventually, 15 trains will run on the Yellow Line.
“We can start commercial operations with five to six trains and an interval of 20 minutes,” Rao said, hoping for the launch to happen later this year, reports Deccan Herald.
Civil work and track laying on the 19.15 km long Yellow Line was completed some time ago, but the lack of trains is hampering the start of commercial operations.
In 2019, China’s CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Company Limited bagged a Rs 1,578 crore contract from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to supply 216 coaches. Twelve coaches were built in China, but the rest were made in India by Titagarh Rail System Limited (TRSL), CRRC’s Bengal-based partner.
In February this year, BMRCl received a prototype of a six-coach train from China. BMRCL began trial runs between Bommasandra and Bommanahalli in early March after conducting static and electrical circuit tests at the Hebbagodi depot. The trial run had to be extended by three months to cover the entire Yellow Line stretching from RV Road to Bommasandra.
Yellow Line
The Yellow Line will have stops at RV Road, Ragigudda, Jayadeva Hospital, BTM Layout, Central Silk Board, Bommanahalli, Singasandra, Electronic City, Bommasandra, Hongasandra, Kudlu Gate, Hosa Road, Bertenna Agrahara, Konappana Agrahara, Huskuru Road and Hebbagodi.
Originally, the entire Yellow Line was scheduled to be completed in 2021, but was later extended to December 2022.
According to the 2011 DPR (detailed project report), the line will benefit residents of Jayanagar, BTM and HSR Layout, workers in Electronics City and Bommasandra industrial area.