Inching towards final commissioning of services, the trials and testing of the Dakshineshwar Metro link is likely to be conducted in the month of November.
The authorities are said to have applied for an inspection by the commissioner of railway safety (CRS), last week. A safety clearance from the CRS, is mandatory for commissioning of a new railway project. As per the process, the CRS office is to examine the documents and advise according to the observations.
However, before the inspection, some work, including the installation of a crucial equipment, Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) is to be completed. The function of the equipment is to prevent accidents and stop a train by automatically initiating a brake demand, where the TPWS track equipment is installed.
The highly advanced equipment from German is expected to arrive this month, informed the sources. Once the equipment is received from Germany, it will be tested by the engineers of the implementing agency, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). The RVNL is said to be giving finishing touches to the stations and tracks in the four kilometre stretch.
According to the general manager of Kolkata Metro Railway, Manoj Joshi, the inspection by the CRS is likely to take some time from now. “Before offering the system to CRS for inspection, we will have to conduct the whole testing and trails. We would be able to conduct testing and trials on our own, sometime in November. We hope that by December, everything will be ready and we will be in a position to offer it to CRS for inspection,” he added.
If things go as planned, the commercial services in the extension of the existing north-south metro corridor to the temple town of Dakshineshwar, according to sources, is expected to start from December.