CRRC to deliver first two trainsets for Bangalore Metro Phase 2 by August 2023

Back in 2019, the CRRC had been awarded a contract worth Rs 1,578 crore to supply 216 Metro coaches to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL). However, the delivery of the trains was stalled due to the company’s failure to establish a coach manufacturing plant in India. The recent development assures the supply of two sets of six-coach trains by the Chinese firm in August, with the remaining coaches to be delivered in subsequent phases, said sources.

In order to overcome the manufacturing hurdle, the Chinese company has now partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons Ltd, which will complete the formalities and finally start supplying the coaches to BMRCL in September. These coaches are designated to operate on the RV Road – Bommasandra metro line which is scheduled to open in December 2023.

Earlier, the BMRCL had issued multiple notices to the CRRC and even threatened to encash its bank guarantee of Rs 372 crore after terminating the contract.

According to officials, there was two main reasons for the delay in supply of coaches by CRRC to BMRCL. Firstly, the requirement that 75% of the manufacturing should take place in India under the "Make in India" initiative posed challenges for the Chinese company in finding a local manufacturer. Additionally, the manufacturing process was further impacted by the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.

At present, the BMRCL operates 57 trains with a total of 342 coaches across the Purple and Green lines of Bangalore Metro Rail Network.