Delhi Metro Begins Trial Runs on Magenta Line Up to Okhla Vihar
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation acts in strange ways. It was only last month they held a fancy event to launch trial runs on the 58.596 km Pink Line and now they’ve ever so silently started trials runs on a small section of the 38.235 km Magenta Line!
This feat took place on the morning of May 28 while I was away on a little break. During this trial run, one of the Hyundai Rotem trains slowly made its way from the Kalindi Kunj Depot to the Okhla Vihar station through the Jasola Vihar Shaheen Bagh station. Other details about the run including future plans are a little sketchy at the moment, but it appears only 1 run was made to check for physical infringements and see how the train interacts with the viaduct & track system.
June 9 Update: The DMRC has confirmed the commencement of trial runs in the following press release:
The initial trial runs on a 3.5 km long stretch between Kalindi Kunj Depot and Okhla Vihar Metro station of Magenta Line/Line 8 (Janakpuri west to Botanical Garden) have started at a low speed. During these trials, the interface of the Metro train will be checked to ensure that there is no physical infringement with civil infrastructure during the movement of the train on the track and also testing of various subsystems of coaches shall be done.
Later on, in stages, the new signaling technology to be implemented on this corridor and Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) will also undergo rigorous testing.
The response of the train at different speeds, braking of the train and the interconnection with the Operations Control Centre (OCC) will also be monitored during the trials. The behavior of the track system and the Over Head Electrification (OHE) will be checked repeatedly.
Alignment of Kalindi Kunj Depot – Okhla Vihar station section – view Delhi Metro Phase 3 map & information
Engineers checking for obstructions – Photo Copyright: Pervez Alam Khan
Photo Copyright: Md Akhlaqur Rahman
Photo Copyright: Achlendra Katiyar
Photo Coypright: Reyaz Khan
Platform Screen Doors at Jasola Vihar station – Photo Coypright: Reyaz Khan
Photo Coypright: Reyaz Khan
Here’s a video shot by a local resident who spotted the trial run:
And here’s a look at the progress made at the Jasola Vihar station. This station has a set of pocket tracks that runs on its eastern end. Further east of it, a unique 1 km long stabling yard to supplement the Kalindi Kunj Depot is under construction by Afcons Infra (CC-94 project).
Satellite view:
Jasola Vihar station – Photo Copyright: Vikas Saini
Pocket track area (right) and the elevated stabling yard (extreme right) – Photo Copyright: Vikas Saini
Trial runs to Botanical Gardens will only start towards the end of the year as the line’s Yamuna bridge is not yet ready. View more details and see images here: [Pics] Progress of Delhi Metro’s Yamuna Bridge at Okhla
For more updates & images, check out the Delhi section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
What about pink any section trial runs
Hi, please see my previous posts in Delhi section. Trains have only gone up to Majlis Park (400m from Mukundpur Depot). Beyond that, there are 2 TBMs building the tunnels to Azadpur. Trials on that are expected to begin only by the end of the year or in 2017 (most likely).
In ip extension to shiv vihar corridor trials of pink line
Will share details & images whenever it starts.
What about the other Depot in Pink Line…whats its Progress?
Its near completion it will be completed in one or two months
Is this corridor complete after okhla vihar till kalkaji
Viaduct & track work is complete. Systems installation is in progress.
Never seen dmrc in unprecedented actions before even completing works like trial runs b4 even a section is complete.its in utter desperation dis happen as if dmrc showing everything is going as planned
Exactly. While the delay on certain stretches is due to valid reasons, there’s absolutely no excuse for misleading the public and announcing crazy trial-run time-frames. Let’s see what excuse they come up with.
Is it possible that DMRC run the section between kalindi kunj and kalakaji by end of the year but include botanical garden- kalindikunj by early next year?
DMRC hasn’t revealed its game plan, but for this small section to be successful, they’ll have to launch operations between Kalkaji & Botanical Gardens. I’m looking at a Q2 2017 launch.