Changes in Whitefield station to boost purple line frequency

The Purple Line runs for 43.49 km between Challaghatta and Whitefield.
The DTG (Distance to Go) train, which arrived at Peenya from China on Sunday
The DTG (Distance to Go) train, which arrived at Peenya from China on Sunday Photo | Express
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BENGALURU: Following repeated criticism of jam-packed trains, Namma Metro has now begun work on two upgrades at the Kadugodi (Whitefield) station to facilitate faster train operations with better frequency on the Purple Line.

Top officials of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) visited this terminating station of the Purple Line on Monday. In a related development, the first regular train dispatched from China to Kolkata port and then Chennai reached Peenya on Sunday night.

The Purple Line runs for 43.49 km between Challaghatta and Whitefield.

A senior operations official told TNIE, “At present, trains go up to the Whitefield depot, which is situated some distance away, and take a turn before arriving at Whitefield Metro station to start a new trip. What we are working on now is extending the existing Shunting Neck (additional side track) on the viaduct by an extra 40 meters so that trains can turn at the tracks here.”

The length of the train is 122 meters, and the shunting neck is currently 130 meters. “However, owing to safety reasons, we cannot operate in such a narrow space. After we extend it by 40 meters, it will be safe for trains to make a U-turn at this spot,” he said.

The move was proposed long ago, but it is only now that BMRCL is actively working on it, the official added. In another related development at Whitefield station, the distance between the platform and the rail tracks is being increased to allow trains to operate faster. “We call it the buffer stop. Trains arriving at a speed of around 40 km/h are forced to reduce their speed to just 5 km/h here, taking extra time to reach. We will now create space for 400 meters, so that trains do not have to slow down when approaching Whitefield station. This will enable faster operation of trains,” the official explained.

BMRCL managing director M. Maheshwar Rao said, “The minutes saved will help us reduce the gap between trains during non-peak hours from 8 minutes to 4 minutes. There will also be an improvement in frequency during peak hours.”

Eight lakh commuters per day has now become the norm for the Metro, with December 2024 averaging 8.06 lakh passengers daily, the official said.

In a related development that will impact improving the frequency on the Purple Line, the first DTG (Distance To Go or regular) train from China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation Limited (CRRC) reached Peenya depot on Sunday night. “The train first reached Kolkata port, then Chennai port.

It was then sent by road to Peenya depot,” another official said. The coaches will be coupled together and deployed into operations here. Twenty more DTG trains need to be sent by CRRC. “They will be sent by its partner, Titagarh Rail Systems, only after November this year. The focus right now for BMRCL is on procuring driverless trains for the Yellow Line first. Only after enough trains are ready for it will the supply of these DTG trains begin,” he said.

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