Bengaluru’s suburban rail project has moved closer to operations with B-RIDE signing an agreement with the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, for the supply of 51 three-coach trains for two of the network’s four planned corridors.
The trains will be deployed on Corridor 2, the Mallige route between Chikkabanavara and Benniganahalli, and Corridor 4, the Kanaka route connecting Rajanukunte and Heelalige. B-RIDE, the agency implementing the Bengaluru Suburban Transit Project, said the first train services on Corridor 2 are expected to begin between Chikkabanavara and Yeshwanthpur by the end of next year. The extension to Benniganahalli is expected to be completed a year later.
The agreement covers the design, manufacture, inspection, testing and commissioning of the coaches. It also includes obtaining statutory approvals from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation, system integration and compliance with RAMS requirements covering reliability, availability, maintainability and safety.
The trains are planned as air-conditioned, broad-gauge coaches based on a metro-style design. B-RIDE said the rolling stock would offer modern passenger facilities and support a safe and reliable suburban rail network. The agency’s agreement with ICF covers the first phase of train procurement. Separate agreements will be required for rolling stock on Corridor 1, between Majestic and Devanahalli, and Corridor 3, between Kengeri and Whitefield.
The rolling-stock contract follows delays in the implementation of the suburban rail project. Construction began later than expected, and work was subsequently halted after the contractor withdrew from the contract. Work resumed after fresh tenders were invited, and B-RIDE officials said construction has progressed faster since the re-tendering process.
B-RIDE Managing Director Lakshman Singh described the agreement as a major milestone in the project’s implementation. He said the procurement of modern train coaches would strengthen progress towards a safe, dependable and sustainable suburban rail network, and expressed confidence that the required coaches would be available as track and systems infrastructure across the corridors is completed.
The immediate operational schedule remains tied to the completion of corridor infrastructure. Under the current plan, Corridor 2 will be the first to enter service, with the Chikkabanavara-Yeshwanthpur section targeted for the end of next year and the remaining stretch to Benniganahalli expected to follow a year later.
