Bangalore, India, to Purchase 306 New Coaches for Suburban Trains: Reasons and Prospects

The Indian company Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride), responsible for developing the suburban railway in Bangalore, has faced challenges in sourcing rolling stock for its project, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

After an unsuccessful attempt to lease 306 air-conditioned passenger coaches, K-Ride decided to proceed with a direct purchase.

Hamburg Launches the First Automated Metro Line U5: Timelines, Details, and Project Innovations

The new plan envisions acquiring these coaches over a five-year period due to delays in implementing the Bangalore Suburban Railway Project (BSRP).

To realize this ambitious plan, K-Ride intends to seek support from the Karnataka state government and the central government of India.

The company expects to establish an equity fund of 42.7 billion rupees (approximately USD 510 million) to finance the purchase.

Additionally, K-Ride has already entered into agreements with two major international banks—Germany’s KfW and the European Investment Bank (EIB)—to attract external investments.

One of the options being considered to address the shortage of coaches is the purchase of Vande Bharat coaches from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.

However, before this can happen, the weight of the coaches needs to be reduced from 53 to 42 tons to meet the technical requirements of the BSRP line. This issue is currently under discussion.

Initially, K-Ride attempted to arrange the leasing of coaches. A tender was announced in December 2023 and continued until July 2024 but did not yield any results.

A second tender attempt followed on August 12, with the deadline for submissions set for August 22.

This tender also ended without results, leading to the decision to proceed with a direct purchase.

The current situation highlights the significant challenges K-Ride faces in the process of modernizing Bangalore’s transport infrastructure.

Despite the difficulties, the company continues to explore ways to successfully complete the project, which is expected to significantly improve suburban connectivity and enhance passenger comfort in the metropolis.

Photo: Times of India

Rail business, industry, and railway technology news from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Freight Trams in Germany: Innovations in Urban Logistics and Process Automation