Railway Board nod for BEML trainsets clears key hurdle for Bengaluru Metro Pink Line stretch

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has received the Railway Board's sanction for the new BEML trainsets proposed for operation on the elevated section of the Bengaluru Metro's Pink Line, the corporation said in a press release on Wednesday, September 23.

BMRCL described the clearance as an important prerequisite for commissioning the 7.5-km elevated stretch. The sanction will form part of the documents submitted to the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) for inspection and examination.

"The opening of the elevated section for passenger services will be subject to the mandatory CMRS inspection and authorisation, as per the prescribed procedures," the release said.

The section between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere had earlier been expected to open in September. Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda inspected the corridor on September 2 and said the civil and elevated works were ready. He had earlier indicated that the stretch could be opened once the necessary approvals from the Centre were in place.

The opening schedule has been revised several times. After taking charge of the portfolio, Mr. Gowda had initially announced that the elevated section would become operational by August 15. He has also said the remaining underground section between Tavarekere and Nagawara is expected to be completed by March 2027.

The Pink Line, also known as the Kalena Agrahara–Nagawara corridor, spans 21.3 km. Of this, about 7.5 km is elevated and 13.8 km runs underground. The underground stretch will pass through key locations including Dairy Circle, M.G. Road, Shivajinagar and Tannery Road, creating a north-south connection through central Bengaluru.

The Railway Board's sanction for rolling stock is a standard step in the run-up to commissioning a new metro corridor. Trains manufactured by BEML, a public sector undertaking, must be cleared as fit for the intended section before they can be operated there. The clearance also matters for the documentation that a metro operator places before the safety regulator.

The CMRS, an independent authority that inspects new metro corridors, examines civil structures, signalling systems, rolling stock and emergency preparedness before certifying a line as safe for passenger services. Only after that authorisation can BMRCL announce an opening date and begin commercial operations.

For commuters, the elevated section is the first part of the Pink Line likely to become operational. Once the full corridor is ready, it is expected to offer an alternative to some of the city's busiest arterial roads and connect southern Bengaluru with the northern parts of the city. BMRCL has not yet indicated a revised date for opening the elevated section, which will depend on when the CMRS inspection is completed and clearance is granted.