Bengaluru: Green light for green line

Bengaluru: The safety trials inspection for Namma Metro’s Phase-1 Green line, conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, ended on Friday, June 2. The line, which will be inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee, is supposed to be up and running by the end of June, according to Vasanth Kumar, Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL.

 "All the safety trails and station inspections are complete. We are now awaiting a report from the CRS, which will include recommendations, if any, including modifications on safety, train operations, civil works etc,” said Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director, Namma Metro.

The development of K.R. Market and Chickpete stations is still pending, said Mr Kharola, adding that this will not be an obstacle as far as commercial operations for the Phase 1-Green Line are concerned.

About 75% of the work on these stations has been done and the Metro can begin services at anytime, according to information from the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), which is working on better access and also on art work that reflects the heritage of K.R. Market.

While some reports indicated that the response from CRS was expected on Monday (June 5), trials ended just before the weekend. Sources say that the official response will take up to five days, after which any changes pointed out will have to be made. Protocol for large infrastructure projects dictates that conditional approval will be followed by the final approval, to ensure a thorough approach to public safety.

Mr. Narendra Kumar, an activist from Nagarika Shakti group believes that the report from CRS may take around four days and that commercial operations are likely to begin around June 20.

“Pranab Mukherjee’s tenure as President ends in July. He is a prominent face for the Congress party so the Siddaramaiah government needs to finish the inauguration before he leaves his post,” he quipped.

Awaiting response from CRS
About 75% of the work on these stations has been done and the Metro can begin services at anytime, according to information from the Directorate of Urban Land Transport, which is working on better access and also on art work that reflects the heritage of K.R. Market. While some reports indicated that the response from CRS was expected on Monday, trials ended just before the weekend. Sources say that the official response will take up to five days, after which any changes pointed out will have to be made. Protocol for large infrastructure projects dictates that conditional approval will be followed by the final approval.