The much awaited metro rail link to HiTec City from Ameerpet-Nagole to nearly completed Corridor Three will happen this month although suspense continues on the precise date.
The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) Ram Kripal has to give the statutory clearance before commercial operations can begin. Senior metro rail officials said on Wednesday that he is yet to give dates on when he would like to travel to check for safety and other parameters.
If previous such inspections are anything to go by, CMRS and his team will be travelling on the 10-km metro stretch for a couple of days at least to test for civil works, viaduct, signalling, electrical connections, train control systems, rolling stock, speeds and so on, before giving the final nod if he finds them to be satisfactory and safe for public use.
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Prior to seeking Mr. Kripal’s green signal, L&TMRH has to get the clearance certificate from French company, Thales, which is providing the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) technology and from the Internal Safety Assessor - Halcrow.
HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy has already stated in a recent meeting with various stakeholders a few days ago that the Chief Minister’s office will be approached for fixing the inaugural date once the CMRS clearance comes by.
While it is not yet known if Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao himself will consent to flag off the operations on this route, indications are that it will be opened soon.
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HiTec City metro line will be different when compared to other opened sections between Miyapur to L.B. Nagar of Corridor One and Nagole to Ameerpet (of a part of Corridor Three) as metro trains will be running on independent single lines from Ameerpet to Jubilee Hills Check Post station and switch lines towards HiTec City station and vice-versa, using a mix of conventional railway signalling and CBTC systems.
Delay in construction of the ‘reversal’ at the HiTec City station preventing the metro trains from taking a reverse has led to to this ‘temporary’ solution. Once the overhead viaduct of remaining one kilometre is completed up to Raidurg, the CBTC will be operational fully, enabling running of faster trains and better frequency, the officials added.