Metro begins trial run on Peenya-Jalahalli stretch

Trial runs have begun on the Namma Metro track beyond Peenya Industry and the stretch is expected to be opened for public by December-end or January 2015.

The trial runs between Peenya Industry and Jalahalli stations began on September 30. There are two more stations next to Jalahalli - Dasarahalli and Nagasandra - on Tumkur Road.

The work on providing power supply to these stations is scheduled to commence from October 15. Escalators, elevators and air conditioners for control rooms are almost ready at Jalahalli station. With the addition of these three stations, the metro network on this stretch would be longer by 2.5 km.

The Nagasandra station is located at a distance of around 12.8 km from Mantri Square station. The work on the stretch is behind the deadline.

 Footfall on weekdays from Mantri station to Peenya is 15,000 and during the weekends it is around 20,000. The daily traffic volume on the stretch may go up by 5,000 with the addition of three more stations, said Ravi Prakash, Senior Manager (Public Relations), BMRCL.

Mallya B G, Chief Engineer (Tractions) said that the third rail having insulated power supply cables had been laid at the ground level, along the rail track. “This is unlike in Delhi where power is drawn from overhead. We hope to keep the lines ready for use in the next two months,” he added. The metro would be running beyond Nagasandra by another 3.5 km under phase II.

Unlike in the central business district, the BMRCL has huge vacant space available in the Peenya stretch which would be commercially exploited.

Expression of interest from those who want to use the vacant space for commercial use will be called by October-end. 

Vasant Rao, General Manager, (Finance), BMRCL, said that Peenya station has not less than 80,000 sqft vacant space and another one lakh sqft could be added above the ground level. Similar vast spaces are available in four stations beyond Peenya. Each station will have vehicular parking space which can accommodate not less than 100 cars. 

He said that BMRCL would rent the space for corporate offices, retail shops and other business establishments. “This huge Peenya area has been deprived of hypermarkets despite having a large number of apartment complexes. So there is scope to commercially exploit the metro space for public utility,” Rao added.