BENGALURU: Metro will be in a position to run two of its 50 trains with six cars each by December this year, said Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola. Other trains will be fitted with six cars each in phases after March next year.
Briefing media after taking part in an inspection carried out by Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on the platforms that will cater to the North-South corridor at the Kempe Gowda Interchange Metro Station, Kharola said, “BEML has assured us that they would ready at least six cars by December by assembling many of the spare parts of Metro,” he said.
“There is a possibility of having a ladies coach in trains with six cars,” Kharola said. After March 2018, BEML will supply the cars in phases each month and trains will be augmented. By mid-2018, all trains will have six coaches, he said.
BMRCL had recently signed a `1,421-crore agreement with Bharat Earthmovers Ltd (BEML) to supply 150 cars to Metro. Each train carries 975 passengers at present and the number could touch 1,900 when more coaches are added.
Minister George, who spent an hour inspecting the station, told media that Metro timings could be extended if required. “Namma Metro’s service runs on both the Purple Line and Green Line and can be extended depending on public patronage to Phase-I,” he said. The Purple Line between Baiyappanahalli and Mysore Road runs between 6 am and 10pm while the Green Line runs only between Mantri Square Sampige Road and Nagasandra on the Northern corridor from 5am to 11pm.
Justifying the need to cut trees, George said, “There will always be some problems whenever a big project is undertaken. Some trees had to be cut, but for every tree that has been cut, we have planted 10 trees.”
“After Phase-I, Phase-II will be inaugurated. The K R Puram-Silk Board Line will be funded by innovative financing,” he said.
Asked about the reasons for frequent disruptions in Metro services, Kharola said, “Different reasons caused the disruption. It happened once when a cable was damaged in heavy rains. The second time it happened, the emergency trip switch was pressed by mistake by an employee resulting in operations being stalled.”