<p>Bengaluru: Namma Metro has received its first Chinese-made train for the Purple Line, raising hopes that overcrowding on the network may ease in the coming months. </p>.<p>The prototype train, consisting of six coaches, arrived at the Peenya depot on January 12, culminating a nearly month-long journey from China via Chennai. </p>.<p>The coaches were transported on truck trailers and unloaded at the depot, where they were moved to the test track at the Inspection Bay. </p>.Bengaluru Metro to start early on Mondays.<p>The coaches are being coupled to form a complete train for static and electrical circuit testing. Subsequently, the train will be tested on the mainline. Over the next few months, it will undergo 37 statutory tests before being introduced for passenger service. </p>.<p>BL Yashavanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), said that these tests would take at least six months. </p>.<p>"Any new rolling stock has to meet statutory testing requirements, including oscillation certifications from the RDSO (Research Design and Standards Organisation). These tests will take a minimum of six months. We will deploy the train for passenger service only after receiving all speed certifications and RDSO approvals," he told <em>DH</em>. </p>.<p>Since the Purple Line is already operational, mainline testing will be conducted only at night, and there will be time constraints, he added. </p>.<p>This train has been manufactured in China by CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which won a Rs 1,578-crore contract in 2019 to supply 216 coaches (36 trains) to BMRCL. </p>.<p>Fifteen trains are from the Yellow Line and 21 for the Purple and Green lines. Save for the two prototype trains, the rest will be made by CRRC's India partner Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) in West Bengal. </p>.<p>The prototype train for the Yellow Line arrived at the Hebbagodi depot in February 2024 and is currently undergoing trial runs. Separately, on January 6, TRSL dispatched the first India-made train for the Yellow Line. The train is expected to arrive in Bengaluru by January 20. </p>.<p>The Yellow Line trains will be equipped with the Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) for driverless operations, while the Purple and Green line trains will use Distance To Go (DTG) technology, which requires loco pilots. </p>.<p>TRSL has promised to deliver two trains for the Yellow Line by April, and two trains per month from September. However, it is expected to start delivering trains for the Purple and Green lines only in 2026. </p>.<p>Chavan expressed hope that TRSL will expedite train production but said it was unclear if the company had received car body shells to assemble trains for the Purple and Green lines. </p>.<p>Namma Metro, the second-longest in India at 76.95 km, has only 57 trains, well below the ideal ratio of one train per kilometre. This has led to overcrowding during peak hours. The BMRCL runs 32 trains on the Purple Line and 23 on the Green Line. One train is reserved for each line. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Namma Metro has received its first Chinese-made train for the Purple Line, raising hopes that overcrowding on the network may ease in the coming months. </p>.<p>The prototype train, consisting of six coaches, arrived at the Peenya depot on January 12, culminating a nearly month-long journey from China via Chennai. </p>.<p>The coaches were transported on truck trailers and unloaded at the depot, where they were moved to the test track at the Inspection Bay. </p>.Bengaluru Metro to start early on Mondays.<p>The coaches are being coupled to form a complete train for static and electrical circuit testing. Subsequently, the train will be tested on the mainline. Over the next few months, it will undergo 37 statutory tests before being introduced for passenger service. </p>.<p>BL Yashavanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), said that these tests would take at least six months. </p>.<p>"Any new rolling stock has to meet statutory testing requirements, including oscillation certifications from the RDSO (Research Design and Standards Organisation). These tests will take a minimum of six months. We will deploy the train for passenger service only after receiving all speed certifications and RDSO approvals," he told <em>DH</em>. </p>.<p>Since the Purple Line is already operational, mainline testing will be conducted only at night, and there will be time constraints, he added. </p>.<p>This train has been manufactured in China by CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which won a Rs 1,578-crore contract in 2019 to supply 216 coaches (36 trains) to BMRCL. </p>.<p>Fifteen trains are from the Yellow Line and 21 for the Purple and Green lines. Save for the two prototype trains, the rest will be made by CRRC's India partner Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) in West Bengal. </p>.<p>The prototype train for the Yellow Line arrived at the Hebbagodi depot in February 2024 and is currently undergoing trial runs. Separately, on January 6, TRSL dispatched the first India-made train for the Yellow Line. The train is expected to arrive in Bengaluru by January 20. </p>.<p>The Yellow Line trains will be equipped with the Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) for driverless operations, while the Purple and Green line trains will use Distance To Go (DTG) technology, which requires loco pilots. </p>.<p>TRSL has promised to deliver two trains for the Yellow Line by April, and two trains per month from September. However, it is expected to start delivering trains for the Purple and Green lines only in 2026. </p>.<p>Chavan expressed hope that TRSL will expedite train production but said it was unclear if the company had received car body shells to assemble trains for the Purple and Green lines. </p>.<p>Namma Metro, the second-longest in India at 76.95 km, has only 57 trains, well below the ideal ratio of one train per kilometre. This has led to overcrowding during peak hours. The BMRCL runs 32 trains on the Purple Line and 23 on the Green Line. One train is reserved for each line. </p>