S Ramasubbu, Chief General Manager (Electrical) of CMRL in the notification said that from February 1 ‘the overhead traction line shall be treated as live at all times and no unauthorised person shall approach or work in the proximity of the said overhead line.” 

The completion of electrification work in the up and down lines and energising the traction line is considered as an important step towards extending the Metro rail services that presently runs between Koyambedu and Alandur. “The entire electrification infrastructure will undergo series of inspections by high level teams from both the Central and State governments,” a senior official with CMRL told DT Next. 

According to him, teams from Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the Ministry of Railways, Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) that is in charge of railway electrification and Commissionerate for Metro Rail Safety will do series of checks to ascertain whether all the safety and quality parameters are met. 

“Only after completion of all these due inspections, procedures trial runs will begin,” he said and added that it is too early to comment on expected date of commercial operation as lot of mandatory clearances has to be obtained. It may be noted that the Indian Railways has been entrusted with clearing Metro rail operations.