Bengaluru’s Namma Metro Pink Line is moving closer to opening its elevated section, with the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) scheduled to conduct a three-day final inspection from October 6 to 8. The 7.37-kilometre elevated stretch between Nagawara and Kalena Agrahara is expected to begin metro operations within about 10 days, according to information provided by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials and reported by Prajavani.
The CMRS inspection follows the completion of construction, testing and other preliminary checks on the elevated section of the 21.25-kilometre Pink Line. The inspection will assess whether the infrastructure, stations, signalling equipment, tracks, power systems and trains meet the requirements for safe passenger operations.
The inspection will begin at 10.15am on October 6 at Kalena Agrahara station and the station control room. The CMRS team will examine the signalling equipment room, track parameters, platform clearance and the operation of the motorised short-circuit device. It will then travel along the elevated corridor in a motor trolley to inspect points, crossings, viaducts and the certificates issued for them.
The team will also check curve parameters, walkways, fire-safety arrangements at different stations, electrical insulation systems and station pillars. The first day’s inspection is intended to cover both the physical structures that support the line and the safety systems required for regular metro operations.
On October 7, the inspection is scheduled to continue at Tavarekere before moving to the Kothanur depot, where train testing will begin. The tests will include onboard inspections, point disturbance and switchover tests, speed-limit checks, overspeeding and low-speed tests, stopping tests, signal-blocking tests, operations involving multiple trains and train separation procedures.
The third day will focus on the signalling system, telecommunications system, traction and power control, rolling-stock interfaces, and electrical and mechanical controllers, BMRCL officials said. These systems coordinate train movement, power supply, communication and the interaction between trains and fixed metro infrastructure.
The elevated section includes six stations: Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIMB, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva and Tavarekere. Jayadeva station has been built as an interchange with the Yellow Line. JP Nagar 4th Phase currently has a Pink Line station, but it is expected to become an interchange in the future when the Orange Line begins from the location.
After the CMRS inspection, the safety authority may prescribe minor changes, according to the information reported by Prajavani. BMRCL officials said the safety certificate could be issued within one or two days after the inspection, with metro services expected to start three to four days after the certificate is received. The opening schedule therefore depends on the inspection findings, any required modifications and the formal safety certification.