Trial run may take place in December-end or January

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday flagged off the test run of Metro Line no. 1 (Belapur to Pendhar) of the Navi Mumbai Metro project at Taloja Depot.

“Line no. 1 has now been officially inaugurated for test drives. A trial run, though, is scheduled around December-end or January,” said Deepak Hartalkar, superintendent engineer of the Metro. The tests will continue for three to four months at different parts of the route.

City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) officials have been conducting various tests within the yard. “Every time new tracks are laid, we conduct checking and fix any issues that arise. This is called the rolling stock of trains. Construction of stations is expected to be finished by December, following which trial runs can be started after permission from the authorities as well as the Commissioner of Railway Safety,” Mr. Hartalkar said. By August 2020, the Metro is expected to start for citizens.

The three-car rake will now run a distance of 2 km from Metro Taloja Depot to station no. 11, which is Pendhar. “The rolling stock has covered this 2-km track, including the bridge, and reached Pendhar. The test drives will keep happening as the work progresses,” said Sanjay Nadgauda, superintendent engineer, Metro project, CIDCO.

CIDCO officials have claimed that around 83% work on stations is complete. “Once the stations are ready, the tracks will be laid. Till then, rolling stock tests will keep happening. Once the tracks, stations and signalling are ready, the trial runs will happen, after which we will apply for a safety certificate from the Railways. After we get the certificate, it will be ready for public use, which is expected by August 2020,” said Mr. Nadgauda.

Line 1 of the project is 11.1-km-long, and is now under implementation. It starts from Belapur and ends at Pendhar near Taloja. The route will have 11 stations along with a depot-cum-workshop being built at Taloja. The total budget of Line 1 is ₹3,063.63 crore.