Rapid Metro work in last leg, to start by September

Setting aside speculation on the launch of India’s first privately funded and operated Rapid Metro, the promoter firm has clarified that the service cannot start before September. Sanjeev K Ahuja reports.

Setting aside speculation on the launch of India’s first privately funded and operated Rapid Metro, the promoter firm has clarified that the service cannot start before September.

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The firm said the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the commissioner of Metro railway safety are yet to conduct the trials and tests necessary before starting the service.

However, the firm kicked off high-speed trials of its trains after receiving permission from the ministry of railways for the same. Sanjiv Rai, chairman and managing director, Rapid MetroRail Gurgaon Limited (RMGL) told HT that the railways issued the certificate on Friday.

“We have kicked off high-speed trials on the tracks. We have invited the RDSO for spot inspection and it is likely to take about two-three weeks for that. It will conduct recordings and readings of the trials. RDSO will then prepare a feasibility report and forward it to the commissioner of railways. After that, it will further take two-three weeks for the final inspection of the Rapid Metro system,” Rai said.

“It is quite possible that the service is launched around September,” Rai added.

As against the earlier plan, the Rapid Metro will now cover all the six stations as work on Gateway Tower Metro station will be completed by September. Work on all the other stations is already complete. The work on Gateway Tower station got delayed due to a land acquisition row.

Rai said most of the civil works such as laying of tracks and signaling were already complete and the firm would utilise the extra time at hand for completing sundry jobs like clearing debris, which has accumulated around the stations.