Bengaluru, 31 Aug

BEML Ltd, a premier rail and metro train set manufacturer in India, inaugurated its prototype manufacturing for driverless metro train sets on Saturday. The manufacturing is part of the 5RS-DM Project, dedicated to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation's (BMRCL) Lines 2 and 6, including Bangalore Airport Line.

The project, valued at around Rs 3,177 crore, encompasses the design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of 53 train sets, according to a statement by BMRCL. It also includes maintenance for up to 15 years under Bangalore Metro Rail Project’s Phases 2, 2A, and 2B. BEML secured this contract in August 2023.

The new train sets, featuring a 6-car formation, will be built from high-tensile Austenitic stainless steel, ensuring durability and passenger comfort. They will include roof-mounted Saloon Air Conditioners, IP-based Passenger Announcement and Information Systems, and a Passenger Saloon Surveillance System. The trains will also have ergonomically designed stainless-steel seats, Fibre Reinforced Polymer panel interiors, LCD-based Dynamic Route Map display and automatic doors, synchronised with Platform Screen Doors for enhanced safety.

The inauguration was attended by Maheshwar Rao, Managing Director of BMRCL, and Shantanu Roy, Chairman and Managing Director of BEML Ltd. Roy said, “We are privileged to inaugurate this new prototype manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, which is rapidly becoming a hub for India’s top metro rail manufacturing.”

BEML, with a history of innovation in rail coach manufacturing since 1948, has delivered more than 2,000 metro coaches to various Indian cities. The company is now poised to introduce India’s first prototype of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train. –Salar News