Bengaluru’s Namma Metro Pink Line has completed its final three-day safety inspection on the 7.5-km elevated section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere, bringing six stations closer to commercial operations and expanding the city’s operational metro network to 103.60 km.
The statutory inspection was conducted from October 6 to 8 by a team led by V. Venkatasubramanian, Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety for the southern zone, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka. Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is expected to begin passenger services after completing the conditions and recommendations issued by the safety commissioner.
The section includes six stations: Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIMB, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere. Jayadeva Hospital will serve as an interchange station, making the corridor significant for passengers travelling between the Bannerghatta Road area and other parts of the metro network.
On the first day of the inspection, the commissioner and the technical team examined the main line and related infrastructure using a motor trolley. The second day’s work included an inspection of facilities at the Kothanur depot, trial running of metro trains on the main line and several safety tests. On October 8, the team visited the Operations Control Centre at Baiyappanahalli to review signalling and control systems, completing the three-day inspection.
BMRCL has already received several approvals connected to the section, the report said. These include a speed certificate from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation in August, temporary approval from the Railway Board for the train coaches and safety certification for the signalling system from an independent safety assessor.
The inspection is a statutory stage before a metro section can open for regular passenger services. Completion of the inspection does not by itself represent the start of commercial operations; BMRCL must first comply with the safety commissioner’s recommendations and conditions. The report said services could begin on November 1 or during the first week of November, although the final opening date depends on the completion of these requirements and the subsequent operational decision.
The new section is expected to serve residents and commuters along Bannerghatta Road and surrounding neighbourhoods, where road congestion has been a longstanding mobility challenge. Once opened, the 7.5-km stretch will take the operational Namma Metro network from 96.10 km to 103.60 km. The immediate transport impact will depend on the commencement of regular services and the integration of the new interchange at Jayadeva Hospital.
BMRCL’s next step is to address the conditions and recommendations arising from the inspection before starting commercial operations. The Pink Line’s remaining section and the final passenger-service date were not specified in the supplied report.
