Namma Metro Yellow Line: BMRCL To Receive 216 China-Made Metro Coaches

As work on various segments of this ambitious project Namma metro's Yellow line nears completion, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) is gearing up to transport the newly manufactured coaches (cars) to the sections where the final touches are being applied.

Earlier, Metro officials from Bengaluru had visited the manufacturing facilities of the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) in China. This visit comes in the context of the eagerly awaited arrival of Namma Metro coaches for deployment on the recently opened K.R. Pura to Whitefield metro line and the upcoming Yellow Line, slated for operation by December 2023.

Back in 2019, CRRC secured a substantial Rs 1,578-crore contract to provide 216 metro coaches for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL). Regrettably, they were unable to fulfill this contract due to the lack of a requisite manufacturing plant in India.

A high-ranking official confirmed these recent developments, stating, "The company is on track to deliver two sets of six-coach trains within the current year. The remaining coaches will be supplied to BMRCL in a phased manner. Our officials have gone to China to oversee and facilitate the transport of these coaches."

BMRCL had previously issued several notices to the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, even contemplating the encashment of their Rs 372-crore bank guarantee. Now, the Chinese company has teamed up with Titagarh Wagons, a Kolkata-based firm, to deliver the remaining coaches starting from September. The official elaborated, "CRRC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Indian company for coach manufacturing. We anticipate the arrival of these coaches, which will operate on the R.V. Road - Bommasandra line."

The eagerly awaited Yellow Line (Namma Metro)- R.V. Road - Bommasandra line, spans 19 kilometers and represents the elevated Yellow Line. It is expected to commence operations by December 2023, offering significant benefits to the workforce in Electronics City and beyond.