L&T Metro Rail Ltd is laying Pocket track along the main corridors in some sections. Pocket track is like a loop line laid as a third track in between the two main Metro tracks to accommodate an extra (third) train.

To facilitate laying the pocket track, the elevated viaduct in some sections will be built wider (40 ft as against 29 ft of the rest of the viaduct). Unlike the normal piers (pillars), the piers in these sections with Pocket tracks are called ‘hammerhead piers’ because of their shape as a hammerhead.

Two segments, instead of the normal one segment elsewhere, are accommodated side by side on these hammerhead piers and the two segments are stitched together on top to get the additional width for the viaduct. The Pocket track is about 200 ft long which can accommodate one full length 6 coach train or two 3 coach trains with crossovers on both ends, so that the train that is kept on the Pocket track can be taken to any of the two main tracks and run in any direction.

NVS Reddy, Managing Director, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, this Pocket track is being built as a special facility either to run special services from mid-point or to keep extra reserve trains for increasing the train services during peak hours.

This can also be used for trains that develop technical snag, without disrupting the main Metro train services in both directions.

A problematic train can be parked on the pocket track and later taken to depot during off-peak hours for repairs.

One of the three Metro corridors is not being provided with a pocket track, since it is a shorter line of 15 km.

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