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BMRCL awaits new trains to curb overcrowding, ease train flow
The 43.49km Purple Line, which was launched on October 9, has already started facing complaints of overcrowding.
Weeks after the newly launched Namma Metro’s Purple Line registered a record footfall of 700,000 passengers, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is now facing a task of inducting new trains at the earliest to curb overcrowding, amid a scarcity of train sets and coaches, officials familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The 43.49km Purple Line, which was launched on October 9, has already started facing complaints of overcrowding, with many commuters sharing photographs of serpentine queues and passengers struggling to enter the compartment, officials said, adding that the authorities’ focus is now to check congestion in the Metro.
BMRCL managing director Anjum Parvez told the media that they are working towards decongesting the Majestic Interchange. On October 13, approximately 140,000 passengers used the Majestic route to transfer between trains.
“The BMRCL is running loop trains between Majestic and MG Road every three minutes during the morning rush, in an effort to alleviate the overcrowding issues,” he said.
To be sure, overcrowding of metro services particularly during rush hour is not uncommon across the world.
A significant challenge facing the Namma Metro system is the scarcity of train sets or coaches, officials said, adding that according to BMRCL records has 57 train sets with 30 assigned to the Purple Line and the remaining to the Green Line. The trains on the purple line– each of six coaches –take 180 trips daily.
Another contributing factor to the congestion issues is the delay in the delivery of new trains. The China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) secured a ₹1,500-crore contract in 2019 to supply extra Metro coaches tender to supply BMRCL with 216 coaches.
However, multiple factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for CRRC to collaborate with local manufacturers as part of the Make-in-India initiative, have delayed the timely introduction of these new trains.
After getting a ₹1,578-crore contract in 2019, the company failed to establish a manufacturing facility in India. In response to the mounting delays, BMRCL issued multiple notices to CRRC. When threatened with encashing the ₹372 crore bank guarantee held by the Chinese firm,” said a senior BMRCL official.
CRRC later entered into a collaboration with Kolkata-based Titagarh Wagons. The official mentioned that Bengaluru is expecting the arrival of two new train sets from China.
Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has recommended prioritisation of expanding the Inner Ring Road underground Metro as an effective solution for Bengaluru’s traffic problem.
The proposed plan put forth by IISc envisions the construction of a comprehensive underground Inner Ring Road Metro network encompassing key stations at strategic locations, including Yeshwantpur, IISc, Mehkri Circle, Ulsoor, Indiranagar (serving as an interchange point), Doopanahalli, Domlur, Ejipura, Dairy Circle, Nimhans, South End Circle, Lalbagh, KR Market, Attiguppe, Vijayanagar, and Kuvempu Road.
The Inner Ring Metro project is expected to feature a total of 23 Metro stations, including six interchanges with other Metro lines. “With an additional 34 km of Metro network in addition to the 169 km, ridership will increase by 77%,” the report stated.
