Green Line (Namma Metro)

Phase I

The detailed project report (DPR) for Phase I, comprising the Purple and Green Lines, of the Namma Metro project was prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and submitted to the BMRCL in May 2003. The final approval on a scheme that incorporated the expertise of DMRC and RITES Limited did not come until April 2006.^[6] The DPR prepared by DMRC envisaged a 33 km (21 mi) elevated and underground rail network with 32 stations for Phase I of the project. The proposed gauge was standard gauge unlike the broad gauge on the Delhi Metro network. The rationale for the metro includes reduced journey times, cutting fuel use, accident reduction and lower pollution.

Construction work for Phase I of the Namma Metro project was scheduled to start in 2005 but was delayed by a February 2006, due to change of government in Karnataka and continued debate over whether the project was financially feasible and appropriate for the city. The Union Cabinet approved Phase I of the Namma Metro on 25 April 2006, when it was estimated to cost ₹5,400 crore (US$750 million). The cost escalated to ₹13,845 crore (US$1.9 billion) as various problems delayed the completion of the project.^[7][8][9] Land acquisition for Phase I of the project cost ₹2,500 crore (US$350 million).^[7] BMRCL secured ₹6,500 crore (US$910 million) through long-term loans and ₹300 crore (US$42 million) by selling bonds, while the remaining project cost was funded by Central Government and the State Government. BMRCL secured loans from several agencies - ₹3,000 crore (US$420 million) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), ₹600 crore (US$84 million) from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO), ₹25 crore (US$3.5 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the rest from a French lending agency. Approximately 10% of the ₹6500 crore must be paid as interest by the BMRCL every year. The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimated that this amounted to an interest payment of ₹2 crore (US$280,000), however the BMRCL refuted the claims that the interest was that high, while confirming that it was "definitely more than ₹1 crore (US$140,000) per day."^[7]

The foundation stone for the Phase I construction was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 24 June 2006.^[10] Construction on Reach 3 and 3A of Phase I of the Namma Metro began in 2009–10. The total cost of the project on this stretch was ₹2,100 crore.^[11] The underground work commenced in May 2011. Each corridor consists of two tunnels which are the first underground tunnels built for trains in South India. The tunnels, dug using tunnel boring machines (TBM), are located approximately 60 feet below ground level, have a diameter of 5.5 metres and are 5 metres apart. Four TBMs, nicknamed Helen (TBM 1), Margarita (TBM 2), Kaveri (TBM 3) and Krishna, were used for tunnelling work on the Green Line.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17]} A trial run was conducted on 8 August 2013.^[18]

Construction of the stretch required 1.3 lakh tonnes of concrete, 44,500 tonnes of steel bars, and 190 km of high tension wires weighing 2900 tonnes. A total of 395 piers, including station piers and portals, were constructed on the stretch. The tallest pier of the viaduct is a 21-metre pier between Kuvempu Road and Sriramapuram stations, opposite Gayatri Devi Park. There 353 spans on the stretch, the longest being the 66 metre curved span over the railway track off Sriramapuram. The total roofing area of the 10 stations on the stretch was 47,000 square metres.^[19]

The line was opened to the public on 1 March 2014.^[20] BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola stated that about 25,000 passengers travelled on the line on opening day.^[21] Civil works had not been completed at Peenya Industry and Peenya stations, among others. These were covered up by paintings, and work was expected to be complete in another two months.^[22] In the first month of operations, 7.62 lakh people at an average of 24,605 people daily used the line, generating a revenue of ₹1.5 crore (US$210,000).^[23]

Tunnel boring machine, Godavari, began drilling the 970 metre underground stretch between the Sampige Road and Majestic stations in April 2014. Godavari broke down a few months later, and needed to have its cutter head replaced. According to the BMRCL, the machine broke down due to tough terrain including hard rock and boulders. The cutter head had to be imported from Italy. The machine restarted work in September 2015. Godavari completed drilling and emerged on the Majestic station end of the tunnel on 19 April 2016.^[24] Meanwhile, Kaveri and Krishna were drilling the underground stretch between National College and Majestic station. As of April 2016, Kaveri and Krishna had about 100 metres and 250 metres of drilling left to complete, respectively.^[25]

Construction of the 8.6 km underground section of the Green Line required the use of 3,000 transit mixer loads of concrete, and 1,000 km of cable had to be laid. If laid end-to-end, the length of cable used would be long enough to stretch from Bangalore to Mumbai.^[26]

Trial runs on the elevated section between National College and Yelachenahalli began on 23 November 2016. Trials were conducted between National College and Jayanagar initially at a speed of 10 kmph, and then along the entire elevated section between National College and Yelachenahalli at a speed of 25 kmph.^[27] Trials runs between Sampige Road station and Yelachenahalli were originally scheduled for 15 February 2017, but was postponed to 25 February. This was further delayed to March 2017.^[28] Trial runs began in the underground tunnel on 30 March 2017. On 1 April, a metro train departed the Krishna Rajendra Market Metro station at 4PM bound for National College;, while at 4:08 PM, a train departed from K.R. Market to Sampige Road station.^[29]

Services at the Sampige Road, Srirampura and Kuvempu Road stations were suspended between 13 and 22 March, so authorities could conduct static and other tests, and to link the Sampige Road station with Majestic. During the 10 day period, services operated only between Nagasandra and Rajajinagar stations. The BMTC introduced special feeder services to transport passengers from Rajajinagar station to Hosahalli station.^[30][31] Services between Sampige Road and Rajajinagar were suspended again for four days beginning 13 April to conduct trial runs on the underground section between Sampige Road and National College stations.^[32][33] Trial runs were completed on 16 May 2017.^[34]

Phase II

The contract for the construction of the 6.5 km extension of Reach 4 from Yelachenahalli to Anjanapura was awarded to Nagarjuna Construction Co. The extension is estimated to cost ₹508.86 crore (US$71 million).^[35] Civil work on the extension began in October 2016,^[36] and is expected to complete by 2019.

In October 2016, BMRCL invited bids for the construction of viaduct and stations on the 3.031 km extension of the Green Line from Nagasandra to BIEC.^[36] The contract for the extension, known as Reach 3C, was awarded to Simplex Infrastructure Limited in late February 2017. The contract specified a cost of ₹247.41 crore (US$34 million) and a deadline for completion of 27 months.^[35][37] The start of construction on the extension was delayed by 4 months due to land acquisition issues concerning land near Jindal Aluminium Limited in Kirloskar Layout. The BMRCL stated that the issues were resolved and construction began in June 2017.^[38]

Rolling stock

Rolling stock on the Green Line are silver with a streak of bright green along its length.^[39]

Power

Power is supplied to the Green Line from the Peenya sub-station of the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL).^[40][41]

Signaling

In September 2009, the consortium led by Alstom Project India Limited were awarded a contract worth ₹563.4 crore (US$78.5 million) to supply control and signalling system for the first phase of the project. The consortium is led by Alstom and composed of Alstom Transport SA, Thales Group Portugal S A and Sumitomo Corporation. Alstom will provide the design, manufacture, supply, installing, testing and commissioning of the train control and signalling system and Thales will provide the design, installing, testing and commissioning of the telecommunication system for Phase I of the metro system. It includes the Urbalis 200 Automatic Train Control system which will ensure optimal safety, flexible operations and heightened passenger comfort.^[42][43]

Frequency and capacity

Trains initially operated on the Green Line from 6 am to 11 pm. This was extended to 5 am to 11 pm from 1 December 2015. The frequency along the line is 15 minutes between 5 am and 8 am, and 8 pm and 11 pm, and 10 minutes between 8 am and 8 pm.^[44] Trains halt for 30 seconds at each station.^[45] The 14.27 km stretch of Reaches 3, 3A and UG2 is covered in 24 minutes, much less than the 45 minutes required by road.^[46] Each three-coach train has a capacity of 975 passengers.^[19]