Bengaluru Metro to Move Older Trains to Purple Line, New Ones to Green Line

Bengaluru's Namma Metro is set for a major operational reshuffle, with the entire fleet of 21 new six-coach trains built by CRRC planned to operate only on the Green Line corridor between Madavara and Silk Institute. The move is expected to improve maintenance efficiency and help increase overall network capacity.

Under the proposal, the existing Phase-1 trains currently serving the Green Line will be reassigned to the Purple Line, which runs between Whitefield and Challaghatta and continues to record the highest passenger load in the Metro network.

The first CRRC train, a prototype manufactured in China, arrived in Bengaluru in January 2025. Although it was initially expected to enter service on the Purple Line, the train has not yet carried passengers and is now undergoing mandatory safety and performance trials on the Green Line.

Officials from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said testing by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) is being conducted during non-operational hours between 11.30 pm and 3.30 am, on the stretch between Jalahalli and Mantri Square Sampige Road stations. The trials are scheduled to conclude by January 10.

Following this, the train will require approvals from multiple safety authorities, including the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) and the Railway Board. BMRCL is aiming to secure Railway Board clearance by March 2026, after which the train will be allowed to begin commercial operations on the Green Line.

The remaining 20 CRRC trains will be assembled in India at Titagarh Rail Systems Limited's Uttarpara manufacturing unit in West Bengal, aligning with the localisation plan for metro rolling stock.

BMRCL officials said concentrating all CRRC trains on one corridor would simplify maintenance operations. Instead of setting up parallel facilities, all specialised equipment, spares and servicing infrastructure will be housed at the Peenya depot, which services the Green Line.

As part of the realignment, 17 Phase-1 trains will be shifted to the Purple Line, resulting in a more balanced distribution of rolling stock across the two corridors.

Bengaluru Metro currently operates 57 trains, far fewer than what is required to maintain an optimal three- to four-minute frequency. With daily ridership approaching 10 lakh passengers and growing steadily-especially after improved access to Whitefield and Electronics City-the additional trains are expected to ease crowding and improve service frequency.

The CRRC contract, awarded in December 2019, covers the supply of 216 coaches, including trains earmarked for the upcoming Yellow Line, which will further expand the Metro network.