Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has received another addition to its Yellow Line fleet, with one coach of the fourth train-set reaching the Hebbagodi depot in Bengaluru from Titagarh Rail Systems Limited’s factory in Kolkata on August 12 night.
According to BMRCL officials, the remaining five coaches of the train set are in transit.
“Three coaches are currently at various locations on the city’s outskirts on road and may arrive at the depot tonight, while two others are in Andhra Pradesh and are expected to reach the depot by August 14 night,” a senior official told The Hindu.
Once all coaches are assembled at the depot, they will undergo 20-day testing before being introduced into commercial service.
“The train set must undergo various kinds of tests, including system integration with signalling, telecommunications, and power supply networks,” the official added.
The Yellow Line, inaugurated on August 10 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, began commercial operations on August 11 with only three trains in service. The limited fleet has resulted in a waiting period of over 25 minutes during peak hours, leading to overcrowding. The new trainset is expected to help improve frequency, though BMRCL will require more sets to meet optimal service levels.
Driverless trains
The corridor’s trains are equipped with Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology, enabling driverless operations, a first for Namma Metro. CBTC is designed to reduce the interval between trains from the current 150 seconds to as low as 90 seconds. However, during the initial period, trained locomotive pilots are being deployed to operate the trains manually.
The 18.82-km Yellow Line, linking R.V. Road to Bommasandra, is an important addition to the Namma Metro network, connecting southern neighbourhoods and the Electronics City to the rest of Bengaluru’s metro network.
While the line’s civil works were completed nearly a year ago, commissioning was delayed primarily due to setbacks in procuring the driverless trainsets. In 2019, Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC was awarded a ₹1,578-crore contract to supply 216 coaches, with the condition that it establish a manufacturing facility in India. CRRC failed to meet this requirement, prompting BMRCL to issue several notices and consider invoking a ₹372-crore bank guarantee.
To revive the situation, CRRC partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, enabling production. Despite this arrangement, delivery schedules have continued to slip, forcing BMRCL to open the Yellow Line with a minimal fleet.
On August 11, a day after the launch of the Yellow Line, Namma Metro achieved its highest-ever single-day ridership. Total boardings across all three operational lines reached 10,48,031 passengers, according to BMRCL data.
The Purple Line (Line 1) accounted for 4,51,816 commuters, the Green Line (Line 2) recorded 2,91,677 boardings, and the newly inaugurated Yellow Line (Line 3) welcomed 52,215 passengers on its first day of commercial service. Interchange stations handled an additional 2,52,323 passengers.
The previous record was set on June 4, when 9,66,732 people travelled by metro when only the Purple and Green lines, covering 76.95 km, were operational, a senior BMRCL official said.
Published – August 13, 2025 11:51 am IST
