Bengaluru’s yellow line of Namma Metro is ready to open, but limited to three train sets that last every 25 minutes. The initial capacity is only 25,000-30,000 passengers, significantly among the expected 2-3 lakh. Namma Metro’s yellow line. Bengaluru’s very expected yellow line of Namma Metro, intended to facilitate the congestion on busy pieces such as Silk Board and Bommasandra, will eventually open. However, the relief can be short -lived for commuters. Trains will initially take at 25 minutes intervals, as only three train sets are ready for service. Reason for 25 minutes of delay? This limited start can barely carry 25,000-30,000 passengers daily, far below the 2-3 lakh capacity promised when the £ 400 per kilometer project was planned. The slow introduction is not due to the last minute, but the result of years of delays caused by the pandemic, red tape, diplomatic barriers and disruptions of the supply chain, according to a report from Times of India. From contract to complications, the problems began in December 2019 when BMRCL awarded Chinese firm Crrc Nanjing Puzhen a contract for 216 coaches. Twelve trains would be built in China, with the rest manufactured in India under the ‘make in India’ plan. CRRC even bought 50 hectares in Andhra Pradesh for the factory. By 2021, the plan came to a standstill. CRRC could not get the necessary cleanups to start production in India. In December that year, BMRCL issued a termination notice, and the case went to court. In April 2022, the Karnataka High Court allowed the contract to continue, with extra time granted to CRRC. In May 2022, the Chinese company worked with Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd to produce 34 trains in India. But geopolitical tension after the collision of Galwan brought new problems – CRRC engineers couldn’t get visas for more than a year to enter India. Without them, the most important composition and testing was fixed. Slow arrival of train visas were eventually released in December 2023, through which CRRC teams could work on the site. The first prototype from China arrived in February 2024 for testing. Indian manufactured trains only started rolling out in May 2024. From August 2025, BMRCL has only three train sets. A fourth is expected soon, which can lower the waiting time to 20 minutes. The complete fleet of 15 trains required for 5-minute peak period frequency is allegedly expected by March 2026. Why trains cannot be borrowed. The yellow line uses CBTC (communication-based train control), a modern signal system that enables closer train intervals and better energy efficiency. But this system is incompatible with trains on the purple and green lines, which use different technology. Retrofitting would be expensive and time consuming. In addition, the 57 trains on the existing lines are barely enough for their own schedules, and additional rolling stock has also been delayed.
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