BMRCL Begins ‘Third Rail’ testing on Bengaluru Metro's Pink Line

Bengaluru

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has commenced crucial ‘third rail’ testing between Jayadeva Hospital and Tavarekere stations, a part of the upcoming Pink Line (Gottigere-Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara corridor). This marks a key step toward operational readiness of the elevated stretch of the Pink Line.

The testing is currently restricted to the elevated section only, and BMRCL has cautioned the public not to trespass onto the viaducts during this phase. This third rail system is vital for supplying traction power to the metro trains.

 Following the third rail testing, the next phases will include signaling, telecommunication, and load testing, expected to take three to four months. Upon successful completion of all technical trials, a safety inspection will be conducted, followed by approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) before passenger operations can begin.

 The Pink Line spans 21.26 km from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara and is being developed in two phases:

 Phase 1: A 7.5 km elevated section from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere, covering six stations — Kalena Agrahara, Hulimavu, IIMB, JP Nagar 4th Phase, Jayadeva Hospital, and Tavarekere.

 Phase 2: A 13.76 km underground section from Dairy Circle to Nagawara, comprising 12 stations, is under active construction.

While civil work is fully completed on the elevated stretch, 90% of underground civil work is done. BMRCL aims to commence services on the elevated section by mid-2026, though progress depends on the supply of metro coaches.

 Due to a shortage of train coaches, the Yellow Line (RV Road to Bommasandra) has already seen delays. Currently, both the Purple and Green lines are facing coach shortages. BMRCL has signed a deal with BEML to supply 138 coaches (23 trains with six coaches each) for the Pink Line. Each coach costs approximately ₹9.99 crore, including maintenance support for 15 years.