Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Tuesday, 16th March 2021 issued a public notice asking people not to come in contact with the 33kv cables and 750 volt DC third rail installed on the viaduct. The completed third rail traction system would be energised in phases.
Officials said Namma Metro’s 6-km western extension from Mysuru Road to Kengeri (Purple Line) is on track. BMRCL managing director Ajay Seth said trial runs on the section will begin from March-end and commercial operations will start in June as per schedule. He said travel time between Mysuru Road and Kengeri will be around 15 minutes.
Asked about the projected ridership of this section, he said: “It’s difficult to say due to pandemic impact.” The elevated section will have seven stations, viz, Nayandahalli, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Jnanabharathi, Pattanagere, Mailasandra, Kengeri bus terminal and Challaghatta. Lying across NICE Road, Challaghatta station is likely to be operational by March 2022.
Seth said all stations will have bus bays and crossover through the unpaid concourse area. “We are planning foot overbridges at two locations by March 2022. Solar panels will also be installed in these stations in due course; tender is being called,” he said.
While BMRCL awarded the contract for Mysuru Road and Pattanagere sections to IL&FS Engineering in April 2015, Soma Enterprises got one for Pattanagere-Challaghatta depot in March 2016. Statistics show 96% of civil work between Mysuru Road and Pattanagere is complete, while 94% between Pattanagere and Challaghatta depot is over.