BENGALURU (Metro Rail & Steel): In a significant development for the Bengaluru Metro, a high-ranking delegation of officials recently visited China to inspect the facilities of the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC). This visit carries particular importance as CRRC is the company responsible for delivering metro coaches intended for deployment on the newly inaugurated K R Pura to Whitefield metro line and the forthcoming Yellow Line, scheduled to commence operations by December 2023.
Back in 2019, CRRC secured a substantial contract valued at Rs 1,578 crores to supply 216 metro coaches to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL). However, fulfilling this contract was marred by challenges stemming from the absence of a mandated manufacturing facility in India. A senior official involved in the project stated, “The company is now prepared to deliver two sets of six-coach trains within the current year. The remaining coaches will be provided to BMRCL gradually. Our officials traveled to China to oversee the process and facilitate the transportation of these coaches,” as reported by The Hindu.
Previously, BMRCL had issued multiple notifications to the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, even contemplating the encashment of the Rs 372-crore bank guarantee. However, the Chinese company has now joined forces with Titagarh Wagons, a Kolkata-based company, to supply the remaining coaches, with deliveries set to commence in September. The Yellow Line is a vital part of Phase 2 of the Bengaluru Metro project, connecting R V Road in the southern part of the city to Bommasandra, a rapidly growing suburb on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Spanning 19 kilometers, the new metro line will pass through key locations such as Jayadeva, Central Silk Board, and Electronics City.
The Yellow Line will feature stops at R V Road, Ragigudda, Jayadeva Hospital, BTM Layout, Central Silk Board, Bommanahalli, Singasandra, Electronic City, Bommasandra, Hongasandra, Kudlu Gate, Hosa Road, Beratena Agrahara, Konappana Agrahara, Huskuru Road, and Hebbagodi. This new Yellow Line will connect to the existing Green Line at RV Road station, link with the upcoming Pink Line (Gottigere-Nagawara) at Jayadeva Hospital and intersect with the Blue Line at Central Silk Board Station before reaching its final destination at Bommasandra.
Originally slated for completion in 2021, the Yellow Line’s deadline was subsequently pushed back to December 2022. According to the 2011 Detailed Project Report (DPR), residents of Jayanagar, BTM Layout, and HSR Layout, as well as those working in Electronics City and Bommasandra Industrial Area, are set to benefit significantly from this new metro line, once it becomes fully operational.
