Second train for Yellow Line arrives, third train by March end

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In what could be a relief for commuters in South Bengaluru, the second set of coaches have finally reached the Hebbagodi Depot early on Sunday. The train was supposed to arrive by mid-January. However, delays in travel, and restrictions over transport via road delayed the process. The lack of rolling stock has become a stumbling block for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in throwing open the 18 kilometre long Yellow Line connecting RV Road and Bommasandra via Electronic City.

This has also evoked reactions from commuters, residents who were eager to use this mode of transport to commute to workplaces in Electronic city and Bommasandra. Civil works on the line were completed last year, and it was expected to open in January. The six coach trains are manufactured by Kolkata based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL). At present, the prototype train from the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) is used for testing. These trains are driverless trains and run based on the Communication based Train Control system (CBTC).

With the second train, the BMRCL will conduct multiple train tests by the first week in March. BMRCL MD Maheshwar Rao had hinted that the line will be open with a two train system at a frequency of 30 minutes. If that’s not viable, the BMRCL may have to wait till the end of March for a third train and then commission the line.