NAGPUR (Metro Rail News): The commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) and his team will inspect Sitabuldi-Lokmanya Nagar stretch of Nagpur Metro (Reach III) on August 30. MahaMetro will start commercial operations on this section after he issues a certificate. It is trying to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the flagging off ceremony.
MahaMetro managing director Brijesh Dixit said that CMRS Janak Kumar Garg had conducted a preliminary inspection of Reach III on August 20.
“He traveled by trolley and train from Sitabuldi to Lokmanya Nagar. He also walked some distance on the track. He inspected the four stations that will be opened after commercial operations — Sitabuldi, Institution of Engineers, Subhash Nagar and Lokmanya Nagar.
He also checked our signaling system,” said the MD. According to Dixit, Garg told Metro officials about the improvements they needed to make. These should be done by the time he comes for final inspection on August 30,” the MD said.
MahaMetro wants to start commercial operations before the code of conduct for Assembly elections comes into force. The Election Commission is expected to announce state polls in mid-September. In 2014, it had declared polls on September 12. Dixit said that the work of Reach III was 100% complete barring the top level of Sitabuldi station, which was 98% complete.
“It will be completed by the time CMRS comes for the inspection,” he added. Work on Reach III had begun on December 1, 2016. The viaduct was completed on June 13 this year while track laying was finished on July 25. Charging of the power supply cable was done on August 1. Dixit said that unlike Sitabuldi to Khapri stretch (Reach I), both up and down lines will be started simultaneously in the 11-kilometre-long Reach III.
“The track goes 300 meters beyond Sitabuldi station on Reach IV. The train will switch from up line to down line in this portion,” he added.
“A lift, an escalator, and a staircase have been provided on one side from ground level to concourse level, where ticket windows are situated at Lokmanya Nagar, Subhash Nagar, and Institution of Engineers station. On the other side, an escalator and a staircase will be provided. Sitabuldi station will have more lifts and escalators,” Dixit added.
