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The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) completed the inspection of the eagerly awaited Baiyappanahalli-K.R. Pura section (2 km) of Namma Metro on Thursday.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), in a statement, said, “The statutory safety inspection of the newly constructed line between Baiyappanahalli and Krishnarajapura metro stations was held today by the CMRS (Southern Circle) and was successfully completed.”
A senior BMRCL official told The Hindu that the commercial operations of the entire Purple Line are expected to begin on the stretch by this month end or the first week of October. Next week, the CMRS is expected to inspect the Kengeri-Challaghatta section on the Purple Line.
The CMRS officials started from Benniganahalli station, situated between K.R. Pura and Baiyappanahalli stations, to inspect the station, lift and escalator testing, pump-room and fire suppression and later officials checked the platform clearance, track, and travelled in a motor trolley towards K.R. Pura and Baiyappanahalli. The officials also inspected the curves, third rail, open-web girder bridge, bearings, and scrutinised the registers and documents, along with rolling stock.
A special train was operated between Baiyappanahalli and Kempegowda Majestic metro station, on which the CMRS travelled.
Prior to the announcement of dates for Karnataka Assembly elections, BMRCL had opened the metro line from K.R. Pura to Whitefield, covering a distance of 13.71 km. The line has 12 stations. However, a stretch of close to 2 km between Baiyappanahalli and K.R. Pura could not be opened due to pending work.
Owing to the missing link, metro passengers are forced to use feeder service for a distance of 5 km to reach K.R. Puram after getting down at Baiyappanahalli. Feeder services run by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) are being utilised by up to 8,000 passengers every day.
After both the Baiyappanahalli-K.R. Pura and Kengeri-Challaghatta sections are opened to the public, the entire 44-km Purple Line, spanning from Whitefield to Challaghatta, will be fully operational.
