Chinese firm to supply Namma Metro coaches after four years of delay

These coaches will be included in the newly-opened K.R. Puram to Whitefield metro line

The Chinese company had won a ₹1,578-crore contract in 2019, but failed to supply the trains since the company had failed to set up a manufacturing plant in India.  | Photo Credit: File Photo

Bengaluru

After nearly four years after bagging a contract to supply Namma Metro coaches, China-based company China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation will finally supply two trains by August this year. These coaches will be included in the newly-opened K.R. Puram to Whitefield metro line, according to officials.

The Chinese company had won a ₹1,578-crore contract in 2019, but failed to supply the trains since the company had failed to set up a manufacturing plant in India. The company was to supply 216 metro coaches to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL). A senior official confirmed the development on the supply of the coaches by the firm in August. “Two sets of 6-coach trains will be supplied by the company by August this year; the remaining coaches will be supplied by the company phase by phase to the BMRCL,” an official added.

Earlier, the BMRCL had issued several notices to the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation and threatened to encash its bank guarantee of ₹372 crore. The China-based company now has a tie up with the Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons which will supply remaining coaches starting in September. “The CRRSC has entered into an MoU with an Indian company to manufacture the coaches. We are expecting to receive these new coaches starting September. These coaches will be operated on the R.V. Road – Bommasandra line,” a official said.

The R.V. Road - Bommasandra line of Namma metro is likely to be operational by December 2023 which is a 19-km stretch of the elevated Yellow Line would benefit lakhs of people especially techies working in Electronics City.

Why supply was delayed

According to officials, the supply was delayed by the Chinese company since the rule which says 75% of the manufacturing should happen in India under the Make in India initiative. The company faced challenges to find a local manufacturer under the Make in India initiative. Apart from this, according to officials COVID-19 pandemic also impacted the manufacturing of the coaches.

All these factors led China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation to partner with Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons to manufacture and supply the coaches.

Currently, the BMRCL operates 57 trains of 342 coaches in both the Purple and Green lines of Namma Metro