Opening of Namma Metro's entire 19-km Yellow Line stretch of Namma Metro Network is set for an operation in One Go from its earlier plan...
Opening of Namma Metro's entire 19-km Yellow Line stretch of Namma Metro Network is set for an operation in One Go from its earlier plans to go in two phased operations. Now the entire stretch is set to be operational in One Go by December 2023.
From its earlier delays in obtaining rolling stock, the first two sets of 6-coach trains will arrive in the city from China by August 2023. The remaining train sets will begin arriving from September onwards from the Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons.
Managing Director of BMRCL, Anjum Parwez, stated that the complete RV Road - Bommasandra section will be opened for commercial service in one go. This decision was announced even after a majority of the construction work between Bommasandra and the Central Silk Board has reached an advanced stage.
Initial plan was to inaugurate the corridor in two phases:
The first phase of the yellow line of the Namma Metro was expected to begin operation in June 2023, from Bommasandra to Central Silk Board.
According to BMRCL officials, the phase-2 opening of the Central Silk Board to RV Road was planned by December 2023.
"Opening only a part of the corridor would not attract enough ridership, so we have now decided to open the entire section simultaneously."
said Parwez.
However, it is quite evident that the delay in operations is directly linked to the delay in arrival of the train sets.
This new metro network in this area will bring substantial benefits to numerous commuters, especially to those in the tech industry ply daily to-and-from Electronics City.
From their original plans, the completion of the entire yellow line was scheduled for 2021, but the deadline was later extended to December 2022.
"The first two sets of 6-coach trains will arrive in the city from China by August 2023, and additional train sets will begin arriving from September onwards from the Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons."
Parvez stated regarding the progress on coaches supplied by China's CRCC.
Back in December 2019, the BMRCL had awarded a contract for supplying 126 metro coaches to the Chinese firm CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, a subsidiary of CRRC Corporation Ltd. The firm had won the Rs 1,578 crore contract that included the supply of 126 cars with distance-to-go (DTG) technology and 90 cars with communication-based train control (CBTC) technology.
As per the terms of the contract, the supplier had to commit to either setting up a new factory in India to produce the cars or strike a partnership with a domestic manufacturer to ensure timely delivery. In response to the clause, CRCC unveiled plans to manufacture 204 coaches in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. However, the plans did not materialise.
On that new development, in April 2022, BMRCL floated another tender to supply 72 coaches as a contingency measure after the original contract awarded to a Chinese firm ran into rough weather. However in July 2022, BMRCL announced that it had accepted CRRC’s request to manufacture a total of 216 metro train coaches in partnership with Titagarh Wagons in Kolkata.
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