Metro trials on Peenya corridor may begin on June 10

Metro trials on Peenya corridor may begin on June 10

Railway Design and Standards organization|Namma Metro|KIMS Hospital|BMRC

BANGALORE: Full-speed trials on the Peenya-Sriramapuram stretch of Namma Metro's northern line are set to begin from June 10. They will be extended up to Sampige Road Metro Station by July 8.

These trials allow the rakes to run up to their full speed of 80kmph, thereby testing track strength and distance brake systems of the rakes. Oscillation trials, as these trials are also called, will require each train to travel 750km each from one end to the other and clear all braking and speed tests.

The Peenya-Sampige Road line was slated to begin operations in mid-2013, but a host of issues delayed the work. This was supposed to be the second stretch of Namma Metro to become functional. However, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) officials are non-committal on when the operations will begin.

The 9.9km Peenya-Sampige Road stretch consists of Reach 3 (Yeshwantpur-Sampige Road) and Reach 3A (Peenya-Yeshwantpur). There will be 10 stations on the stretch. Work is afoot on further extension on this corridor - Reach 3B - between Peenya and Hesaraghatta.

Nods awaited

Namma Metro is still waiting for two more technical clearances at the Peenya depot, including one on exemption from provision of check rails, which are used in curves. The irony is that until the check rail clearance is received, BMRC can't begin oscillation trials between Peenya depot and Sampige Road stations. The approvals are expected to come from Railway Design and Standards organization (RDSO), headquartered in Lucknow. BMRC has sent proposals to the Railway Board through the commissioner of railway safety.

Civil work, however, continues to meander on the northern corridor. According to BMRC, 78% of civil work is over in Yeshwantpur, Soap Factory and Mahalakshmi Layout stations, while 74% of work has been completed in Rajajinagar, Kuvempu Road and Srirampuram stations. Granite flooring, and electrical and mechanical fittings are under way. Spans totaling up to a length of 66 metre have been laid over railway lines at Srirampuram. However, three spans between six piers are yet to be laid between Yeshwantpur and Peenya.