Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya urged China Railway Rolling Stock (CRRC), supplier of coaches for Namma Metro, to release train car bodies for two additional rakes solely for early completion of the Yellow Line.
Surya conducted an inspection of the Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra line) on Wednesday and learnt about supply issues with the rolling stock for the metros, which would render it difficult to meet the Yellow Line’s February 2024 deadline. Pursuant to this, he held a video conference with BMRCL MD Anjum Parvez, Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd MD Umesh Chowdhary and officials from CRRC on Thursday.
During the VC, the CRRC confirmed that it was supplying two car bodies for metro trains this month which would arrive in Bengaluru by November. While a CRRC representative said the company would need more time to supply two additional car bodies, Surya intervened and requested them to supply it by end of November.
The Bengaluru South MP, who inspected the Yellow Line on Wednesday, also assured Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd that he would request the Centre to provide requisite visas and governmental clearances for the Chinese Engineers assisting in the project. CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd was awarded the contract to supply 216 coaches in 2019.
Their domestic production partners Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd are manufacturing 75% of the coaches. Surya’s intervention was key in helping the BMRCL meet its deadline of getting the Yellow Line operational by February 2024.
“With around 95% of the work of the Yellow Line from RV Road to Bommasandra being completed, the foremost priority now is to get the rakes, do the trials runs and make the line operational.
For that, the Union government led by Sri Narendra Modi is willing to go the extra mile to get the metro rolling. Be it helping with the visas of Chinese engineers to lend technical assistance or providing clearances after all safety checks, the Centre is keen to see the Yellow Line thrown open to the public soon,” Surya said in a statement.
Surya earlier discussed production of the rakes with the MD of Titagarh Wagons. While Trains 1 and 2 will be made in China, Titagarh will manufacture five more trains from January and roll it out for the Yellow Line. To kickstart their domestic manufacturing, they require car bodies from CRRC.
The Yellow Line spans 18.8 km from RV Road to Bommasandra with 16 stations. It connects the ITBT corridor, industrial corridor and residential areas. This metro expansion will alleviate congestion in Electronic City and Silk Board areas, very critical to commuters.