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BENGALURU (Metro Rail News): Bengaluru Metro’s long-delayed Pink Line has cleared another key hurdle after the Railway Board gave provisional approval to run the new BEML trains. The 7.5-km elevated section can now move towards the final safety inspection, but passenger services still depend on CMRS authorisation and government approvals.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) received the Railway Board’s provisional sanction on Wednesday to operate the new trains on the Kalena Agrahara-Tavarekere section of the Pink Line.
BMRCL said the approval is a necessary step before commissioning the 7.5-km elevated stretch. The documents will now form part of the submission to the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) for the statutory inspection.
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Railway Board sets operating conditions on Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line
The Railway Board has approved the operation of six-coach trains on the Bengaluru Metro’s Kalena Agrahara-Tavarekere section, but with specific speed and automation conditions. The trains can operate at:
- 80 kmph with the secondary air spring in fully inflated mode
- 49 kmph when the secondary air suspension is deflated
- GoA2, or semi-automatic train operation
The approval does not allow driverless operation at this stage. BMRCL will need separate approval before moving to higher levels of automation. The Railway Board has said the Unattended Train Management System (UTMS) must first undergo complete capability testing.
Risks linked to remote and unattended train operations must also be assessed by an independent third party, preferably an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA), before BMRCL approaches the safety commissioner for driverless or unattended operation.
CMRS inspection expected by September-end
BMRCL officials met CMRS Southern Circle V Venkatasubramanian on Wednesday and submitted documents for the statutory inspection. The safety inspection is expected by the end of September. If the CMRS gives its authorisation, BMRCL has said it will be ready to start passenger services, subject to the required government approvals. The corporation plans to deploy six trains on the 7.5-km section of Bengaluru Metro Pink Line. The proposed service pattern is:
- Peak hours: One train every six minutes
- Non-peak hours: One train every 10 minutes
BMRCL has also received the Independent Safety Assessor (ISA) certificate for the signalling system, removing another major technical requirement from the commissioning process.
First Pink Line section of Bengaluru Metro covers six stations
The elevated section will run for 7.5 km from Kalena Agrahara to Tavarekere. It will have six stations:
1. Kalena Agrahara
2. Hulimavu
3. IIM Bangalore
4. JP Nagar 4th Phase
5. Jayadeva Hospital
6. Tavarekere
Jayadeva Hospital will provide an interchange with the operational Yellow Line.
Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line has a long history of missed deadlines
The latest approval comes after another missed target for the elevated section. Bengaluru Metro’s Pink Line was initially expected to become operational in 2020. The target was subsequently pushed to December 2025. For the elevated Kalena Agrahara-Tavarekere section, BMRCL had earlier worked towards May-June 2026, then August 15, and later a September opening. None of those targets translated into passenger operations.
The latest delay also highlights the gap between completing technical work and completing the approval process. Even after speed clearances and the ISA certification, the project remained stuck until the Railway Board formally sanctioned operation of the new trains.
Full Pink Line still has a longer road ahead
Bengaluru Metro’s 7.5-km elevated section is only the first part of the larger 21.25-km Pink Line. The full corridor will connect Kalena Agrahara with Nagawara and include around 13.76 km of underground alignment. It will have 18 stations. The underground section will connect important areas including MG Road and Pottery Town, while the southern section will serve IIM Bangalore, JP Nagar and Hulimavu.
For now, however, the immediate question is much narrower: whether the elevated section can finally clear the last statutory hurdles after missing several earlier targets.
Also Read: Bengaluru Metro: Rolling Stock Approval Brings Pink Line Closer to Launch
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