Metro trains on Bengaluru’s two operational lines – Purple ( Challaghatta - Whitefield) and Green (Silk Institute - Nagasandra)– are overcrowded due to delays in the delivery of coaches from a Chinese company.
The delays have also stalled the 19-km Yellow Line connecting the tech hub of Electronics City and RV Road in South Bengaluru, and the Green Line extension (3 km between Nagasandra and Bangalore International Exhibition Centre).
Even though coach manufacturer Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. is based in Bengaluru, the tech capital is awaiting deliveries from China. Moneycontrol's explainer sheds light on the reasons behind these issues.
How did a Chinese company get the contract?
In December 2019, CRRC's subsidiary, CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, emerged as the lowest bidder to deliver 216 new coaches. In February 2020, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) signed a contract with CRRC, and the firm was scheduled to supply all of them within 173 weeks. The first train was supposed to be delivered in 87 weeks. Of the total, 126 (21 six-coach trains) were for deployment on the Purple and Green lines. The remaining 90 coaches (15 six-coach trains) were for the Yellow Line.
Why didn't Bengaluru-based BEML get the contract?
CRRC quoted the lowest amount in the tender, which was about Rs 400 crore less than BEML’s bid. CRRC emerged as the lowest bidder, offering Rs 1,578 crore to make the 216 coaches. In comparison, BEML quoted Rs 1,996 crore, Bombardier quoted Rs 1,801 crore, and Alstom Rs 2,052 crore.
CRRC’s bid of Rs 7.31 crore per coach was lower than the rate of Rs 10 crore in Bengaluru Metro's Phase 1. BEML subsequently offered to reduce its bid price, but there was no provision to award the contract to the second-lowest bidder.
Why couldn't CRRC deliver the coaches?
The main cause of the delay in coach delivery is attributed to the Indo-China border issue of June 2020. Although CRRC committed to manufacturing 204 of the 216 coaches at its plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, the plan did not materialise, even after conducting a groundbreaking ceremony to inaugurate its metro coach manufacturing plant in 2021. India's decision to reduce business ties with China due to geopolitical tensions impacted CRCC, which struggled to find a local manufacturer to meet the 75 percent local production requirement mandated by the Make in India initiative.
Factors such as the pandemic, the foreign direct investment policy, and restrictions on trade deals with China contributed to the delays.
When will CRRC deliver the coaches?
In 2022, CRRC tied up with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems to make and supply the coaches. Of the 36 train sets, 34 will be made in India.
The first train was scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru from China in August 2023, but delivery was postponed to October 2023, then to November and December. The first train is yet to be shipped from China. It will take about one month to reach Chennai port and then be transported by road to Bengaluru. The train is now expected to arrive in Bengaluru in January or February 2024.
When will the Yellow Line become operational?
The Yellow Line is likely to become operational by June-August 2024.
CRRC and Titagarh have to supply 8-10 trains before BMRCL can start operations on the Yellow Line. Once the train sets are received, testing and trial runs are expected to take time. Spare trains should also be available for maintenance purposes as all trains cannot be deployed for commercial operations.
BMRCL officials said the 15 trains to be introduced on the Yellow Line will be driverless, a first for the Bengaluru Metro. The driverless trains (Communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling system) can cut the current time gap of two and a half minutes between two trains to less than 90 seconds.
How many trains are required to maintain adequate frequency?
Of the 36 trains contracted, 21 are to be deployed on the Purple and Green lines and their extensions. This addition is expected to enhance service frequency and reduce coach overcrowding.
To maintain an optimal frequency of three to four minutes, experts suggest that BMRCL should ideally have one train per km. During Phase 1, BMRCL operated 50 trains for 45 km.
However, while the fleet strength has risen to 57 trains now, the Bengaluru Metro network’s total length has increased to 73 km. BMRCL officials said 33 trains have been deployed on the Purple Line and 24 to the Green Line.
For maintenance requirements, BMRCL needs to reserve five trains, resulting in 52 operational trains, with 30 on the Purple Line and 22 on the Green Line.
What is the impact on passengers?
After the entire 43-km Purple Line, connecting Whitefield in the east to Challaghatta in the west operational in October 2023, the average daily ridership on Namma Metro surged by 80,000, consistently reaching 700,000 riders. On some days, daily ridership has peaked at 7,60,000.
However, passengers have raised concerns about trains being overcrowded and a reduction in frequency. In response, BMRCL has said that it operates short-loop services between major stations to reduce congestion.
Replicating Delhi Metro's operation of eight-coach trains in Bengaluru is not feasible due to station and platform design limitations. Bengaluru Metro's average platform length is 135 metres, which is adequate for six coaches, each 22 metres in length.
With ridership increasing, there is growing demand to enhance the frequency of trains. Currently, BMRCL can achieve a frequency of one train every three minutes. To reduce the interval to two minutes, an upgrade to CBTC signalling system from existing DTG (distance to go) signaling system will be needed on the Purple and Green Lines.
What are the other issues?
Challenges have arisen with regard to Customs and Visa process for CRRC engineers to travel to India to conduct tests and trial runs of the prototype coaches.
CRRC officials had expressed concerns that Melco would deliver the Train Control Management System software only in June 2024, causing further delays to the project. However, following the intervention of Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and senior officials, Melco agreed to deliver the beta version of the software in January 2024 for testing and integration.
CRRC also needs to coordinate with Siemens Mobility, which is in charge of implementing the automated train technology system for the Yellow Line.
What is BMRCL's plan?
According to BMRCL's chief public relations officer BL Yashwanth Chavan, the prototype of the first CBTC-train will be delivered in December 2023 and the DTG train is expected in May 2024.
CRRC has already delivered two trainset body shells to Titagarh Rail Systems. The remaining trainsets will be manufactured by Titagarh under the supervision and quality control of CRRC.
"Equipment, plants, and machinery for setting up stainless steel car body manufacturing are currently being installed and commissioned at Titagarh. Once this process is completed, the exact delivery dates of the trains will be determined. According to the contract, Titagarh is supposed to deliver two train sets per month."
On receiving the trains, BMRCL will conduct trials, testing, and obtain certification from the Research, Design, and Standards Organisation in Lucknow. The introduction of new trains for the Purple and Green Lines is expected only by August-September 2024.
Until then, commuters in Bengaluru will have to endure travel in crowded Metro coaches.
Also, read: Bengaluru Metro's Electronics City and BIEC corridors to open by April 2024: Karnataka CM
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