Bengaluru's long-awaited suburban rail project received a boost as the Bengaluru Integrated Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise Limited (Bi-RIDE), a subsidiary of K-RIDE, issued a Rs 15.14 billion (bn) work order to the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, for the procurement of 153 air-conditioned broad-gauge metro-type coaches for Corridors two and four of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project. The order covers supply for suburban services and specifies a metro-type coach configuration designed for high-frequency urban operations.

The contract was awarded on six May, and the supply of coaches is expected to begin within the next 18 months. The timeline has been fixed to facilitate the scheduled opening of the Chikkabanavara-Yeshwanthpur section under Corridor Two and is aligned with directives issued during the Prime Minister's PRAGATI review meeting held last December. ICF will deliver to the schedule to synchronise rolling stock availability with track and systems completion.

The contract encompasses detailed design, manufacturing, inspection, testing, integration and commissioning of the rolling stock and includes coordination responsibilities. ICF will be responsible for obtaining statutory approvals from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation and for coordinating with contractors responsible for signalling, traction, power supply and platform screen door systems. The coaches are required to comply with Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety standards to meet suburban operational demands.

Lakshman Singh, managing director of K-RIDE, described the work order as a milestone for the project and said the partnership with ICF will ensure that train coaches are available when the track and systems infrastructure for Corridors two and four is completed. An official memorandum of understanding between K-RIDE and ICF is expected to be signed shortly to formalise the arrangement.