The trial run on Namma Metro’s Baiyyappanahalli-Whitefield stretch in the Purple Line is expected to begin from October 25, the Bengaluru Metro officials said.
The test-charging of the cable network between Whitefield and KR Puram will be carried out from October 15 onwards. The extended line will likely open to the public by January 2023.
The Meto will be conducting the trial runs for at least 45 days. An inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety will be carried out after the trial. The public will be able to use the line by January next year, an officer at the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) said.
It is estimated that the Bengaluru Metro will receive an additional ridership of 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh once the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield extension of the Purple Line with 13 stations opens for the public. It connects the IT corridor in the eastern parts of the city. The completion of the 15.5-km stretch has missed several deadlines. Recently, the BMRCL decided to deploy the majority of its workforce on this route to speed up the work.
The mainly elevated Purple Line is aligned east to west connecting Baiyappanahalli in the east with Kengeri station in the southwest. The line currently is 25.7 km long and has 22 stations. The Line passes through several important locations in the city such as MG Road, Majestic, Railway Station, Vidhana Soudha etc.
Meanwhile, the BMRCL on Thursday said that the work of an underpass along Mysore Road in West Bengaluru will start soon. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has deposited Rs 65.08 crore to the BMRCL to facilitate this project. It will be handed over to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to begin the work as it figures in the NHAI’s corridor.
