Mumbai, Oct. 28 -- Trial runs on Namma Metro's 19.75-km KR Puram-Central Silk Board stretch are expected to begin by the end of October, with overall construction 87 per cent complete. Station entry and exit works have reached 88 per cent completion, Bengaluru Urban Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said after reviewing the project's progress.

The corridor forms part of the Blue Line's Phase 2A and runs along the Outer Ring Road, a major technology and traffic corridor in Bengaluru. Services are targeted to begin by mid-2027, subject to statutory clearances, while system installations and preparations for testing are under way. Officials have been directed to accelerate pending works and remove barricades from locations where construction has been completed.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) is considering starting services on a partial section from KR Puram towards Marathahalli before the full Phase 2A corridor is commissioned. An official said the plan may not be feasible because the required permissions may not be granted. The project has faced a one-year delay linked to a court stay on tree felling, while heavy traffic has restricted construction activity to non-peak hours.

The 38.44-km KR Puram-Kempegowda International Airport corridor under Phase 2B has achieved 61.5 per cent overall physical progress. Track laying is complete on 18.6 km of the planned 52.9 track-km, and station entry and exit works are 41 per cent complete. The Hebbal-airport section has recorded 95 per cent completion in viaduct U-girder erection, while the KR Puram-Kempapura section has completed all piling, 73 per cent of pier construction and 66 per cent of U-girder erection.

The Pink Line's 7.50-km elevated section from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere has completed civil and system works, with statutory authorisation awaited after the safety inspection. Its 13.76-km underground section has completed track laying, while station architectural and system works are 90 per cent and 85 per cent complete. Separately, Bengaluru's proposed 148-km suburban rail network is estimated to cost Rs. 230 bn and is targeted for completion by April 2030, alongside plans to procure 4,500 electric buses for the city fleet.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.