Namma metro to add 7 new trains on pink line to address coach shortage

Facing a shortage of trains, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has signed an agreement with BEML to procure 42 additional coaches (7 trains) for the upcoming Pink Line under Phase 2. Currently, operational lines — Purple and Green — are experiencing a train shortage, which has also delayed the Yellow Line’s launch connecting Electronic City.

To avoid similar issues on the Pink Line, BMRCL has decided to expand its earlier contract. Initially, under a 2023 agreement, BMRCL had reserved 96 coaches (16 trains) for the 21.76-km Kalena Agrahara-Nagawara stretch.

Now, an order worth ₹405 crore has been placed for 7 more trains. Previously, BEML secured the largest-ever BMRCL metro contract to supply 318 coaches (53 trains) for the Blue Line (connecting International Airport and Pink Line extensions), backed by a ₹3,177 crore loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The new trains will feature driverless CBTC technology, six coaches per train, and robust passenger amenities, including dual air-conditioning systems per coach, electric automatic doors, LCD route maps, and platform screen doors for enhanced safety. Coaches will be built using austenitic stainless steel and manufactured at BEML’s Bengaluru facility.

Under the updated terms, each coach will cost ₹9.64 crore. BEML will also provide maintenance services for the next 15 years. According to BEML Chairman Shantanu Roy, the addition of these advanced trains will further strengthen Bengaluru’s metro network and passenger experience.