Kochi metro trial run up to Edappally.

Kochi Metro’s first train will transit thrice along the Muttom-Edappally corridor recently as part of its trial run.

The trial on the 6.5-km corridor will begin at 9.30 a.m. from the coach-maintenance depot at Muttom.

The three-coach train will conduct three trial runs in the forenoon, attaining speeds of up to 30 km per hour.

The subsequent trial run will be held after a month since the track has to be sanitised and all workers have to be removed from the viaduct for each trial, DMRC sources said.

The train had conducted the first trial run on February 27 in the 3.5-km Muttom-Kalamassery corridor, following which it was engaged in test runs within the depot. The train clocked 30 km per hour speed in the 1-km-long test track recently.

The train will conduct trial run up to Palarivattom in June first week and up to the terminal station at Maharaja’s College ground in September, covering 18 km. The Commissioner for Railway Safety is expected to inspect and certify the train as safe in October, following which the metro rail project would be commissioned on November 1 – Kerala Day, the sources said.

Electronic systems in the train, their synchronised functioning, braking, traction and a whole lot of other parameters will be inspected during Monday’s trial run. The train will operate at up to 90 km per hour speed during subsequent trials, though the operational speed is 80 km per hour. Once commissioned, the train will operate at an average speed of 60 km per hour.

With the metro’s civil works in their final stage in the Aluva-Palarivattom corridor, priority is being given to complete the work on stations and to install signals. Except for stations in places like Kalamassery, Cusat, Pathadipalam and Muttom, stations at most other places are encountering delays.

THE HINDU