Namma Metro Yellow Line: Why the big launch comes with a ‘big’ wait of 25 minutes?

Reason for 25-Min Delay?

This limited start can carry barely 25,000–30,000 passengers daily, far below the 2–3 lakh capacity promised when the ₹400-crore-per-kilometre project was planned. The slow rollout is not due to last-minute lapses, but the result of years of delays caused by the pandemic, red tape, diplomatic hurdles, and supply chain disruptions, according to a report by Times of India.

From contract to complications

The trouble began in December 2019 when BMRCL awarded Chinese firm CRRC Nanjing Puzhen a contract for 216 coaches. Twelve trains were to be built in China, with the rest manufactured in India under the ‘Make in India’ plan. CRRC even bought 50 acres in Andhra Pradesh for the factory.

By 2021, the plan had stalled. CRRC failed to get the necessary clearances to start production in India. In December that year, BMRCL issued a termination notice, and the matter went to court. In April 2022, Karnataka High Court allowed the contract to continue, with extra time granted to CRRC.

The Chinese company partnered with Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd in May 2022 to produce 34 trains in India. But geopolitical tensions after the Galwan clash brought new problems — CRRC’s engineers could not get visas to enter India for over a year. Without them, key assembly and testing work was stuck.

Slow arrival of trains

Visas were finally issued in December 2023, allowing CRRC teams to work on-site. The first prototype from China arrived in February 2024 for testing. Indian-made trains started rolling out only in May 2024. As of August 2025, BMRCL has just three train sets. A fourth is expected soon, which could bring down the wait time to 20 minutes. The full fleet of 15 trains which is required for 5-minute peak-time frequency is reportedly expected by March 2026.

Why Trains Can’t Be Borrowed

The Yellow Line uses CBTC (Communications-Based Train Control), a modern signalling system that allows 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 costly and time-consuming.

Moreover, the 57 trains on the existing lines are barely enough for their own schedules, and additional rolling stock there has also been delayed.