Bengaluru Suburban Rail To Get Swanky Fully AC Coaches, 25 KV OHE Traction System; As KRIDE Invites Bids For Rolling Stock

Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (KRIDE) on Wednesday (25 January) invited bids from firms to handle the design, manufacture, supply, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of rolling stock for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

The global tender will be awarded to bidders who meet the eligibility criteria to supply 306 coaches for project worth Rs 15,767-crore.

KRIDE, a joint venture of the Government of Karnataka and Ministry of Railways, is tasked with the implementation of a 148 km line suburban network in the city that will comprise of four corridors.

As per the finalised Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the suburban rail project, the selected firm will also install, operate, and maintain machinery and plants at depots, as well as lease and maintain trains and provide train operators.

The selected bidder is expected to make 264 cars available to KRIDE on a lease basis and supply trains i.e. three or six cars each to be decided by the authority at the bid stage.

A 25 KV Over Head Equipments (OHE) traction system has been proposed for the corridors. The power supply will be through TSS (Traction Sub Stations), as identified for the corridors.

OHE is a system of conductors / equipments carrying traction power from traction sub station to electric locomotive.

In a bid to reduce the overall project cost, the coaches (rolling stock) for the project, estimated to be over Rs 3,000 crore, is not included in the project’s cost. KRIDE is opted for PPP model for the rolling stock procurement. The successful bidder is expected to supply the coaches and maintain them for a period of 35 years.

Alstom, BEML, CAF, Titagarh Wagon, and several other firms have reportedly evinced interest in supply of rolling stock for the project.

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project

Sampige (Corridor 1): KSR Bengaluru – Devanahalli (41 km) connecting Kempegowda International Airport

Mallige (Corridor 2): Baiyappanahalli – Chikkabanavara (25.14 km)

Parijatha (Corridor 3) from Kengeri to Whitefield (35.52 km)

Kanaka (Corridor 4): Heelalige – Rajankunte (46.24 km)

The suburban rail project is estimated to cost ₹15,767 crore. Both the State and Union governments will each bear 20 per cent of the cost, while the remaining 60 per cent will be raised through external sources.

The project was first proposed in 1983 by a southern railways expert team and was estimated to span 58 km. The proposal was included in Karnataka's first transportation survey, commissioned by then chief minister R Gundu Rao.

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project will link Bengaluru to its satellite townships, suburbs, and surrounding rural areas through a rail-based rapid-transit system network.