Namma metro covers 13-km stretch in 12 minutes

Bengaluru: KR Puram Whitefield Metro Extension of the Purple Line is scheduled to open in March of this year, according to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). The final part of the trials is still underway, and on Sunday's high-speed trials, the Metro trains reached a top speed of 80 kmph.

Officials from Metro said that the train took 12 minutes to travel the 13 kilometre distance. However, since there was no interruption during the trials, the actual operations will take a little while longer. The top speed limit on this portion is 80 kmph.

Anjum Parwez, managing director of BMRCL, claims that during regular operations, the trains on this 12-station route will cover the distance between Whitefield and KR Puram in 23–24 minutes.

The extended Purple Line will initially be equipped with five sets of six-coach trains that will run at intervals of ten minutes.

After February 15, the BMRCL has invited the Metro Rail Safety Commissioner to inspect the section. To begin conducting operations, the Safety Commissioner must give an approval.

The authorities will carry out a number of service and train trials over the next few days. Last week, during the rains, slow-speed trials were being conducted on the highway at speeds of 25 to 35 kph.

The initial segment of the KR Puram-Baiyappanahalli line is this section. Whitefield, Channasandra, Kadugodi, Pattandur Agrahara, Sadarmangala, Nallurhalli, Kundalahalli, Sitharama Palya, Hoodi Junction, Garudacharpalya, Saraswati Nagar, and KR Puram are the stations in this corridor.

It will probably take a few more months to finish the short 2.5-km segment from KR Puram to Baiyappanahalli, perhaps by June. From that point forward, the BMRCL will operate feeder buses along this route.

Once in operation, this line is expected to significantly increase ridership by 3.5 lakhs as it effortlessly connects the city's IT hub Whitefield to other areas.