With the work on Namma Metro stretch between Peenya and Sampige Road Station almost complete, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has decided to conduct full-speed trial of trains between Peenya and Sriramapura stations from June 10.
This stretch of about 9 km would witness trains being operated at full speed, up to 80 kmph, to test the tracks, viaduct as well as the trains themselves. The remaining distance of about 1 km between Sriramapura and Sampige Road Station will undergo speed trials from July 8, a BMRCL press release said.
The 1-km stretch had to wait as construction of the 66-m span viaduct over the Bangalore-Tumkur Railway line is still in the final stages. The work is expected to be completed by June-end after which speed trials will be extended to the Sampige Road Station.
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BMRCL director (operations and rolling stock) D.D. Pahuja told The Hindu once the speed trials were satisfactorily completed and data collected, BMRCL would approach the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow, under the Railway Ministry, to conduct oscillation trials and thereafter apply to the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for safety certification.
Meanwhile, the South Western Railway has relaxed the speed restrictions on the Bangalore-Tumkur railway line between Bangalore City and Malleswaram stations in view of the substantial progress on the 66-m span metro viaduct over the railway lines. Trains can now run at speeds up to 45 kmph on this stretch from the earlier 20 kmph.
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Another breakthrough
Kaveri, the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) on the North-South corridor of Namma Metro, broke through the City Market underground metro station site on Saturday morning.
The machine had commenced burrowing from the south ramp near Prof. P. Shivashankar Circle (near KIMS Hospital), completing the tunnelling in about six months. Last week, TBM Krishna had achieved the breakthrough.
Both will now be moved to the other end of the station premises on cradles after refurbishment to commence their onward tunnelling towards Chickpet underground station.