BANGALORE: Bangaloreans hoping to commute by the Metro from this December need not fear being stranded due to power outages.
Namma Metro is unlikely to face such a situation.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation claimed it will have 99.97 per cent reliability of power supply.
"Power is the primary component for metro rail and every effort is being made to ensure that the supply remains uninterrupted," said U A Vasanth Rao, general manager (Finance), BMRCL.
Rao said the blackouts happened mostly on the 11 kV domestic lines.
"The BMRCL will draw 66kV power through the 220 kV grid that is 99.97 per cent reliable," he said.
As part of its measures to avoid any instance of total blackout, the Metro's power lines will also be connected to the Southern Grid.
It will have two 66 kV line circuits and in case one does not work, the other will still supply power, Rao said.
There will also be four 66 kV sub stations - at Byappanahalli, Peenya, Mysore Road and Puttenhalli Cross (Kanakapura Road) - that will ensure that if any one substation is down, the other will take over.
"We are trying to ensure that there is 100 per cent reliability," said Rao.
In the eventuality of a total blackout or failure of power supply because of grid failure or any natural calamity, the train would come to a halt and doors would be opened using battery power.
Pathways are being provided along the tracks - in both the elevated and underground sections - for passengers to walk.
The battery backup in the trains will be capable of running the air conditioners for about an hour, he said.