Bengaluru Suburban Railway is set to receive 51 three-coach trains under a new supply agreement signed between B-RIDE and Integral Coach Factory, paving the way for train services on two of the city’s four planned suburban rail corridors.
The agreement covers rolling stock for Corridor 2, the Chikkabanavara–Benniganahalli Mallige line, and Corridor 4, which will connect Rajanukunte with Heelalige through the Kanaka corridor. The trains are scheduled to be supplied within 18 months, according to officials of the Bengaluru Integrated Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise, or B-RIDE, the implementing agency for the project.
B-RIDE has entered into the agreement with Integral Coach Factory (ICF), a subsidiary of Indian Railways based in Chennai. The work order includes the design, manufacture, inspection, testing and commissioning of the coaches. It also covers statutory approvals from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation, system integration and compliance with RAMS standards covering reliability, availability, maintainability and safety.
The trains will be air-conditioned, broad-gauge coaches based on a metro-style design. B-RIDE said they are intended to provide modern facilities and improved passenger comfort when suburban services begin operating.
Corridor 2 is expected to become the first section of the four-corridor network to be completed. Train operations between Chikkabanavara and Yeshwanthpur are expected to begin by the end of next year, while the extension from Yeshwanthpur to Benniganahalli is expected to be completed about a year later, B-RIDE officials said.
The rolling-stock agreement does not cover the two remaining corridors. Coaches for Corridor 1, connecting Majestic and Devanahalli, and Corridor 3, connecting Kengeri and Whitefield through the Sampige route, will be procured under separate agreements at a later stage.
The suburban railway project had faced delays before construction began as scheduled. Work was subsequently halted after the contractor withdrew from the contract. Construction resumed after fresh tenders were invited, and B-RIDE officials said work has since gained pace. The rolling-stock agreement is being treated by the implementing agency as a further step in restarting and advancing the project.
B-RIDE Managing Director Lakshman Singh described the signing of the agreement as a major milestone. He said the procurement of modern coaches would strengthen progress towards a safe, reliable and sustainable suburban railway network for Bengaluru.
The agency also expressed confidence that the required coaches would be available by the time track and systems infrastructure on the different corridors is completed. The agreement currently provides rolling stock for the first phase of operations on Corridors 2 and 4, while procurement for the other two routes remains pending.
