The launch of the Reach-5 line may be delayed as the supply of the first batch of six-car train sets for the RV Road-Bommasandra Line (Yellow Line) has been deferred to mid-October. This means that the wait to take a Metro to Electronics City will get longer.
Titagarh Wagons, a company with a manufacturing unit near Kolkata, was supposed to supply all the coaches for the line as per its 2019 contract. However, due to missed deadlines, they will now be supplying 204 coaches (34 train sets), while two train sets will be arriving from China. This is a result of its tie-up with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation.
According to a report, the first set of train sets for the Yellow Line will be supplied from China only by 16 October. However, these train sets need to undergo testing and trial runs for at least three months. The initial plan was for their arrival in September, allowing for the launch of the Yellow Line in December. Unfortunately, this is no longer possible.
As per an official, the delay in the supply of the train sets is due to the fact that around 35 per cent of the components are imported from elsewhere. This means that any delay in their supply will directly impact the timely delivery of the rolling stock.
He further added that In terms of the ongoing works on the Reach-5 Line, civil and station works for the stretch between RV Road and Central Silk Board will be completed by September, while signalling and traction works are currently in progress. The civil works for the 16 stations between Silk Board and Bommasandra are fully ready.
The route that includes Electronics City, as well as South India’s tallest road-cum-rail flyover, is almost complete. However, the flyover cannot be opened yet because the ramps still need to be constructed.
According to Chief Public Relations Officer BL Yashvanth Chavan, there will be a steady delivery of 2 or 3 train sets per month, with all trains expected to be received by the end of July 2024.