BENGALURU: For those from East Bengaluru planning to ring in the New Year on MG Road and surrounding areas, here is some disappointing news. Metro train service between MG Road and Indiranagar Metro stations, which is presently disrupted, will not be operational from December 31 to the wee hours of January 1. Train operations will commence only from 5 am on January 1, 2019.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has tied up with BMTC to run up to 100 free feeder bus services between the two stations. Metro services from Mysuru Road to MG Road as well as Indiranagar to Baiyappanahalli will continue to be operational.
The release said train signalling, restoration and testing work will be carried out at Trinity Metro station on December 31 and hence trains will not be run as scheduled along this route. MG Road, Trinity, Halasuru and Indiranagar stations figure along the affected route.
Services have been stopped between these two points since 8 pm on December 28 as repairs were to be carried out to set right air gaps that were spotted on December 13 on the concrete beam of pillar no 155.
The works were supposed to conclude on Saturday and services were supposed to resume at 5 am on Monday, well before New year’s eve, when crowds were expected along this stretch.
Asked about the reasons for the delay, BMRCL Managing Director Ajay Seth said, “Some procedures involved in the restoration work are taking longer than expected.”BMRCL Chief Public Relations Officer Y L Chavan said, “Since we have started it, we cannot stop it midway. The work is over but testing still needs to be done.”
In connection with the New Year, BMRCL had announced extension of train services up to 1.30 am on January 1 at the four terminating stations and up to 2 am at Kempe Gowda Metro station. Paper tickets at a flat rate of `50 will continue to be issued at MG Road, Cubbon Park and Trinity Metro stations as planned, a BMRCL release said.