After missing multiple deadlines, Bengaluru Metro's long-awaited Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra), which connects Electronics City—home to companies like Infosys and Biocon—is finally on track.
"We now have the first train ready to be dispatched to Bengaluru on January 6. Titagarh Rail Systems has committed to delivering the second train by the end of January or the first week of February and the third in April. Thereafter, they will deliver one train per month and scale up to two trains per month by September," Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said on January 2.
"I have requested the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs to visit the manufacturing plant on January 6, flag off the trains to Bengaluru, and inspect the plant to help expedite the process. I will also be present in Kolkata for the event," Surya added.
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He attributed the delay in the Yellow Line's operations primarily to the unavailability of trains. "The start of Namma Metro's Yellow Line operations has failed to meet the deadlines set by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), causing frustration for all of us. Over the past few months, I have been consistently following up with the train manufacturers—Titagarh Rail Systems—to expedite production. Several roadblocks, including securing VISAs for engineers, were resolved. Titagarh even set up a dedicated line for manufacturing trains for BMRCL."
Surya also urged BMRCL to work in parallel to obtain all necessary CMRS (Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety) approvals to avoid further delays.
"Like all of you, I’m equally frustrated with the repeated delays in the start of the Yellow Line. I will do everything possible to get this project rolling soon. It won’t be long before the Yellow Line starts operating. That’s a promise," he said.
BMRCL officials confirmed that operations will begin with three trains, running at a frequency of every 30 minutes. The frequency will improve as more trains are added every month.
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Titagarh Rail, which primarily manufactures aluminium coaches, is producing stainless-steel coaches for the first time. “The process is time-consuming, as Titagarh personnel, many of whom are new to metro car manufacturing, must meet CRRC's quality standards. Tasks such as welding, gluing, and crimping are being supervised by CRRC engineers,” a source said.
The prototype of the first six-coach train for the Electronics City Metro was shipped from Shanghai on January 24, reached Bengaluru on February 14, and is undergoing trials.
The 19-km Yellow Line, originally slated to open in December 2021, has faced repeated delays. Although civil works are complete, train procurement has hindered connectivity to Electronics City. Supply chain challenges, compliance with the ‘Make in India’ initiative’s 75 percent local production requirement, Covid-19 disruptions, FDI norms, and trade restrictions with China contributed to the delays.
CRRC subsequently partnered with Titagarh Rail Systems to meet local manufacturing mandates. While prototypes for both Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) and Distance-to-Go (DTG) systems were made in China, the remaining 34 trainsets (14 CBTC and 20 DTG) are being manufactured in India.
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