BENGALURU: Though fully completed, the Kengeri-Challaghatta stretch will not open anytime soon. The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) Southern Circle is unable to give any dates for inspection, said multiple sources.
CMRS will visit the KR Puram-Baiyappanahalli stretch on September 21. Top BMRCL officials maintained that the 1.9-km Kengeri stretch will be thrown open along with the KR Puram-Baiyappanahalli line. That will open up the entire Whitefield-Challaghatta line.
All tests had been successfully concluded in this western extension stretch and launch date was awaited. The 7.53-km Mysuru Road-Kengeri line began operations on August 30, 2021. This extension added later was to open a few months later, but has been delayed.
Metro officials said CMRS has agreed to inspect the KR Puram line tentatively on September 21. “We are yet to receive any official communication,” they said.
CMRS on Tuesday told the officials that he will inspect the line the following day. “Metro officials ensured all was fine. But he cancelled it, saying documents submitted in connection with the viaduct required additional details. We completed the documents on Wednesday and will send them on Thursday,” said a Metro source.
Another official said, “After CMRS visits, we have to wait for his observations. We also have to wait for state and central ministers to inaugurate it. The launch may happen only in October.”