Chennai Metro Rail begins trial and testing for phase 2 operations
CMRL officials commenced the trial run from Poonamallee Depot Metro station at 11 pm on Thursday and reached Mullai Thottam Metro station at 11.35 pm.;
CMRL workers at the trial run of Mullaithottam station
CHENNAI: The first trial and testing of Metro trains for phase II operations finally commenced late Thursday night from Poonamallee Depot Metro station to Mullai Thottam Metro station on corridor 4.
Due to technical issues and electrical trips, the Chennai Metro Rail officials had to postpone the testing on Thursday evening.
After fixing the glitch for nearly six hours on Thursday evening, CMRL officials commenced the trial run from Poonamallee Depot Metro station at 11 pm on Thursday and reached Mullai Thottam Metro station at 11.35 pm.
The viaduct, which is about 3 km, starts from Poonamallee Bypass station to Mullai Thottam station, interconnected by Poonamallee Depot.
“For current testing and commissioning, Poonamallee Depot will be the nerve centre to coordinate the testing and trials,” said a CMRL higher official.
In subsequent trial runs, CMRL will be adding new sections.
“Though we had planned the trial from Poonamalle till Mullaithottam at 4.30 pm on Thursday, there were a few snags and electric trips which caused the delay. Nevertheless, we were able to commence testing on the same day,” added a senior CMRL official.
At present, the testing of the trains is done with a driver, and CMRL will continue to station a driver for subsequent trial runs in the future. In the coming weeks, the testing of the 3-car trains will also be done on the sharpest curve of radius 127.55-metre in Porur.
The test run is done as part of the first phase of commissioning from Poonamalle to Porur junction on corridor 4, which will go operational by December this year.