Kolkata: A trial run on the Orange Line between Beleghata station on E M Bypass and the IT Centre (Sector V) station was conducted on Mahalaya morning as a train ran on a stretch, where work had been stuck for over two years.The trial runs, which would now continue for the next several weeks, would show if trains were running without any jerk, if the signalling system was working properly and if station staff responded according to protocol, said a Metro Railway official. Senior engineers and officials of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the implementing agency of the airport-New Garia Metro corridor, were present during Saturday’s trial run.“The first run on the Beleghata-IT Centre section of the Kavi Subhash-Jai Hind Bimanbandar Metro Corridor (Orange Line) was successfully conducted. This is a major milestone for the project, which is a long-cherished dream of the people of Kolkata. This also marks the beginning of the trial of the Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) system,” Metro Railway said in a statement.An official said the train on Saturday moved at a much slower speed than usual on the first trial run. Trains will pick up speed with time. “Once trial runs satisfy the engineers and officials, the commissioner of railways safety (CRS) will be invited for inspection. The CRS may make some suggestions and those will have to be complied with. CRS will then issue a certificate saying the service is fit for running,” said an official.A Metro Railway official said CBTC was an automatic signalling system. “It helps reduce the gap between two trains so that services can run at a higher frequency. It also reduces the possibility of accidents to almost zero,” said the official.Officials said they had to wait for over two years to be able to bridge a 366m viaduct gap over the Chingrighata crossing that delayed the completion of the project till Sector V as the earlier Bengal govt did not provide permission for roadblock required for the metro work above the busy intersection. “We got the first block on May 15. In less than five months, we completed all civil and electrical work and were able to start trail runs. If all goes well, we will start passenger services by Dec,” said an official.There were two gaps to be bridged. One was a 62m gap or two spans over Chingrighata crossing. On the remaining stretch, 10 spans or a 304-m gap had to be bridged. “The Orange Line will be longer by 4.6km with the extension till Sector V, so far,” said a railways official.