The first train set for Namma Metro was rolled out at Changwon, Korea, on Monday and it is likely to reach Bangalore by the end of next month for the track trial between Byappanahalli and M.G. Road.
The event was held at the Hyundai-Rotem Factory, Changwon, a Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) release said. Senior BMRC officials, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Subir Hari Singh, Jeeva K. Sagar, Counsellor, Embassy of India, Korea; and Jae-Hong Kim, senior vice-executive president and chief operating officer, Hyundai- Rotem, witnessed the ceremony.
BMRC entered into a contract last year with BEML-led consortium (BRMM) consisting of Hyundai-Rotem as technical leader, Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan, as member and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Japan, as member, for design, manufacture, supply, testing and commissioning of passenger rolling stock and training of personnel for the metro rail project at a total cost of Rs. 1,670.76 crore. The first five train sets will be manufactured by Hyundai-Rotem in Korea and the remaining 45 will be assembled at BEML, Bangalore.
While BMRC claims it will launch commercial operation between Byappanahalli and M.G. Road by end of the year, it needs four more train sets for the same, which will come from Korea.