CMRS Approves Bangalore Metro’s Whitefield Line with 58 Conditions
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) last week received the final statutory approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) for starting commercial operations on Bangalore Metro’s 13 km Reach 1A & Reach 1B (KR Puram – Whitefield) extension of the Purple Line.
The CMRS had conducted a thorough 3-day final inspection of the line between February 22-24 during which a 7 member team inspected system, civil structures and passenger facilities at 11 stations on Days 1 and 2. Day 3 culminated with a BEML train clocking a maximum speed of 90 kmph during speed trials.
This is the third section of the 73.92 km Bangalore Metro Phase 2 project to receive approval. Its 11 stations are located at KR Puram, Saraswati Nagar, Gurudacharpalya, Hoodi Junction, Sitharama Palya, Kundalahalli, Nallurhalli, Sadarmangla, Pattandur Agrahara, Kadugodi, Channasandra and Whitefield. BMRCL might rename a few prior to the start of operations or during operations.
Like all CMRS approvals across the country, the approval issued is conditional in nature and comes up with a list of 58 conditions BMRCL has to follow or rectify prior to starting operations.
These 58 conditions are minor in nature. A bulk of them, 24, are location specific while 12 are related to passenger amenities such as signages, AFC gates and security gates.
On Page 3 which covers operations, interestingly the CMRS has permitted only one train at a time to operate on the down-line between Garudacharyapalya and KR Puram.
Here’s the authorization letter shared by journalist Christin Mathew Philip on Twitter. The list of 58 conditions begin on the Page 2 from point #3
With this development, the line’s commercial launch now depends on (1) how quickly BMRCL takes corrective action in meeting the CMRS’ requirements & suggestions for safely operating the line, and (2) the availability of local & national ministers wanting to attend the launch event.
BMRCL plans to operate a train every 12 minutes on the route until it’s connected to the rest of the network at Baiyyappanahalli, which should happen this summer. ITD Cementation has just 1 more span left to complete!
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– TMRG
Do you think it is possible to complete all systems work on remaining section by June as bmrcl claims?
Also is there any update on crrc-titagarh trains?
Have a relative working for Namma Metro.
He has confirmed that the ENTIRE PURPLE LINE , i.e. the existing Baiyappanahalli to Kengeri + Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield
will be completed by June , and the official opening should be some time 2 months later.
That means for passengers it is August not June.
June-July opening is definitely on the cards.
It’s in all contractors best interest to finish work and close books by end of quarter.
Also in BMRCL’s best interest as KR-Puram-Whitefield will be loss making and eat into their operational profits.
I have been trying to look up news on CRRC-Titagarh trains as well but can’t find anything.
@metrorailguy – do you have any updates?
Nothing new, but we should see their prototype train rolling out fairly soon – next 1 to 3 months.
When metro start from byappanhalli to Whitefield
Why is the viaduct of ORR line of a different design?
The most congested area is ORR, So the design is make such a way that it should not make much trouble for public conveyance. The U Girder is precast and easy for erection as compared to segment. By adopting this design it will facilitate the flow of work more easily.
“On Page 3 which covers operations, interestingly the CMRS has permitted only one train at a time to operate on the down-line between Garudacharyapalya and KR Puram.”
This is actually because there is no crossover right after KR Puram station (odd for a future interchange station station). Meaning on reaching the end of the line at KR Puram, the train must turn back on the same track till reaching the first crossing at Garudacharyapalya.
That makes sense, thanks
Why do they have two sets of lines ( Airport line from Silk board to Airport and Byapanhalli to Whitefield line) running parallel to each other, between the KR Puram Metro station and Jothipuram metro station, this is duplication and waste of resources. Why couldn’t they combine the lines and control traffic using signalling system like we have in regular railway tracks. It is a total wate of road space and money in my view.
With metro planning, the frequency is so high that you will inevitably have bottlenecks result if two lines are to share one pair of tracks. Each metro train carries hundreds, if not a thousand people, removing hundreds of vehicles from the road with each train. So I think having two sets of tracks is worthwhile. IMO expenses should not be spared to make public transportation highly efficient with no bottlenecks or slowdown. Money for flyovers and signal free corridors should in fact be diverted to metro construction.
I travel daily to Baiyappanahalli metro from Whitefield. By now, i had expected to see some major work on the krpuram to baiyappanahalli section. But, nothing seems to be happening. Even the missing span is not completed yet. With that, i really doubt the June-July finishing of this stretch. Without its completion, frankly the route only serves political interests. Not of much use for us commuters.