Namma Metro’s Purple Line, connecting eastern Bengaluru to the central business district, is almost ready but the crucial link between Byappanahalli and KR Puram stations is missing. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) told ,the 2.5-km link will be ready in the next two months and is set to be inaugurated in June.
“At most, we might face a delay of one month,” said Yeshwanth Chavan, chief PRO of BMRCL.
Asked why the link was not ready with the Whitefield-KR Puram line launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, BMRCL said several factors, including developmental works between Byappanahalli and KR Puram, were an impediment to speedy completion of the much-awaited link.
“There is a railway line crossing connecting Bengaluru and Salem that needed to be dealt with. There were bus depot improvement works at KR Puram along with some decongestion plans undertaken by other civic agencies as well. It was not only BMRCL working in these areas but a plethora of authorities carrying out developmental works. Hence, the link could not be readied with the rest of the extended line inaugurated in March,” Chavan explained.
Major portions of the work for completing the link, such as spanning, laying tracks, and systems installation, are done. What is left is to test the system, then conduct testing through the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), apply any changes that CMRS suggests, and retest the same.
After this, the Byappanahalli-KR Puram link will be ready. “If all goes as per the plan, and at the current speed, we hope to open it to the public in the next 2-3 months,” Chavan added.
At present, the recently opened 13-km Whitefield to KR Puram part of Purple Line and the 25-km-long stretch between Byappanahalli and Kengeri are functional. The key connection between Byappanahalli and KR Puram will join the entire line and seamlessly connect east to west.
