Bengaluru Metro’s Yellow Line stuck on the tracks amid train shortages, activists raise questions on contract to Chinese company

Bengaluru Metro Yellow Line faces delays due to late delivery of Chinese rolling stock, sparking criticism and concerns.

The much-awaited Bengaluru Metro Yellow Line, connecting the city’s industrial technology hub and easing traffic on one of its most congested stretches, remains non-operational despite the completion of civil works. The delay is attributed to the late delivery of rolling stock by a Chinese company contracted to supply 216 metro coaches for the line. Rail activists are questioning the rationale behind awarding the contract to a Chinese company over Indian manufacturers like BEML, which has successfully supplied metro trains in the past.

The Yellow Line, which links R.V. Road to Bommasandra, is now expected to commence operations by late January 2025 with three train sets. According to officials from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), one train set is anticipated in December 2024 and another in January 2025. Despite the substantial completion of civil, electrical, and signalling work, the lack of sufficient trains has caused a significant delay.

A senior BMRCL official said, “Civil and system works have been substantially completed. Testing with the prototype train is underway. Technical sanctions for traction systems have been received, and signalling and rolling stock systems are in advanced stages of completion.”

In 2019, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) was awarded a ₹1,578-crore contract to supply metro coaches. However, the company struggled to fulfil the terms of the agreement, particularly its commitment to setaup a manufacturing facility in India. This failure prompted BMRCL to issue multiple notices to CRRC, with the option to encash a ₹372-crore bank guarantee.

Krishnaprasad, a rail activist from Bengaluru, criticised the decision to award the contract to CRRC. “BMRCL initially justified the contract by stating it wanted to introduce driverless metro trains on the Yellow Line. However, it should have prioritised Indian companies like BEML, which has proven expertise and has already supplied trains for Bengaluru’s metro and other cities. This lack of foresight has resulted in years of delay.”

He further emphasised the disappointment among residents, saying, “This line connects key areas in Bengaluru and is highly anticipated. It is frustrating that months after the infrastructure is ready, the stretch remains unusable due to the unavailability of trains. BMRCL must maintain transparency on this issue.”

In an attempt to address the backlog, CRRC has partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons to supply the remaining coaches. However, delays persist, impacting the project’s timeline.