CMRS inspection of Namma Metro Yellow Line delayed due to pending ISA certificate

Bengaluru

The inspection of Namma Metro’s Yellow Line by the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS), which was scheduled to take place this week, has been postponed. The delay is attributed to the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) not yet receiving the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) certificate, which is essential for operating driverless trains on the line.

The Yellow Line, which connects RV Road to Bommasandra, is expected to provide smooth connectivity between South Bengaluru and the eastern parts of the city. The ISA certificate is a mandatory safety clearance, without which CMRS cannot carry out its inspection.

According to sources in BMRCL who spoke to BLR.POST, the inspection is being held up as the ISA certificate for the coaches is still pending. The certification is being carried out by an Italian government-owned company working in collaboration with Siemens India Ltd and Siemens AG—the signalling contractors for the Yellow Line. The delay in certification is reportedly due to a technical glitch identified during a database review.

Typically, a CMRS inspection takes three to four days, and it generally takes an additional 15 to 30 days for the line to be opened to the public after inspection. Sources have indicated that the inspection might take place next week or by the end of this month if the certification is received in time.

The delay has drawn criticism not only from local residents but also from elected representatives. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who recently led a protest with the hashtag #YellowLineOpenMadi, is also running a countdown on social media targeting August 15 as the opening date. As per the current plan, BMRCL intends to open the Yellow Line on August 15. If it fails to meet this deadline, another protest from Surya is likely. 

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