The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has denied reports suggesting that the 18-km Yellow Line of the Metro will open on January 6.
In a statement, BMRCL clarified, “A news circulating on social media claims that the Yellow Line (RV Road to Bommasandra) will open to the public on January 6, 2025. In reality, the first train set manufactured at Titagarh Rail System Limited (TRSL) Kolkata for the Namma Metro Yellow Line will be rolled out from this facility on January 6, 2024.”
What sparked the speculations?
This comes after Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya announced that the first driverless Metro train from TRSL would be dispatched to Bengaluru on January 6. The delay in commissioning the Yellow Line has largely been due to the unavailability of rolling stock.
China’s CRRC Corporation Ltd was awarded the contract to supply 216 new coaches for Bengaluru Metro’s Phase 2 project, which includes the Purple Line (Line-1), Green Line (Line-2), and Yellow Line (Line-3). CRRC has partnered with Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) to manufacture train sets in India to meet local production norms.
Several deadlines missed
The delivery of the first train from Titagarh has missed several deadlines. According to BMRCL, the trainset is expected to reach Bengaluru’s Hebbagodi depot by January 15. The second train is anticipated by the end of January or the first week of February, with the third train due in April.
Surya added, “Titagarh has committed to delivering the second train by January’s end or early February, and the third by April. After that, they plan to deliver one train per month, increasing to two per month by September. I have urged BMRCL to work in parallel to secure all approvals and prevent further delays. I’ve also requested the Hon. MoHUA Minister to visit the manufacturing plant on January 6, flag off the trains to Bengaluru, and inspect the plant to expedite the process.”