Yediyurappa says suburban rail will ease commuting within Bengaluru, while rail doubling will lead to operation of more trains from Bengaluru
BENGALURU:
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday did a personal recce of the suburban rail and railway line doubling projects in Bengaluru, boarding a train from Bengaluru Cantonment station to Heelalige.
Later, the CM said that with the suburban rail project, commuting to suburban areas of the city, including to the international airport, would be easier. It would also contribute to reducing traffic congestion in the city. Similarly, the railway doubling project would help in the operation of more trains from Bengaluru, he said.
The Bengaluru suburban rail project is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 15,767 crore, to be shared on a shared on a 20:20:60 basis (government of Karnataka, Ministry of Railways, External Funding). The state government has released Rs 400 crore as part of its contribution during 2020-2021, Yediyurappa said.
The project is being executed by K-RIDE, a JV of the government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways.
It comprises 4 corridors with a route length of 148 km:
a) KSR Bengaluru City-Devanahalli (Bengaluru International Airport also) (41.40 km)
b) Byappanahalli-Chikkabanavara (25 Km)
c) Kengeri-Whitefield (35.52 Km)
d) Heelalige (Chandapura)-Rajankunte (46.24 Km)
Among the 4 corridors, work on corridor 2 (Byappanahalli-Chikkabanavara) and corridor 4 (Heelalige (Chandapura)-Rajankunte) will be taken up initially.
ಕಂದಾಯ ಸಚಿವ @RAshokaBJP, ಮೂಲ ಸೌಕರ್ಯ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಅಪರ ಮುಖ್ಯಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿ ಕಪಿಲ್ ಮೋಹನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಇತರ ಹಿರಿಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಜೊತೆಗಿದ್ದರು. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/zueUAYrKz5
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) June 24, 2021
Doubling project
The single line between Yeshvantpur-Channasandra and Byappanahalli-Hosur was a major constraint for operating more trains from Bengaluru to its outskirts. The doubling project was sanctioned in 2018-19 on a 50-50 cost-sharing basis between the government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways. K-RIDE is executing the project.
The 48-km Byappanahalli-Hosur project is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 499 crore, of which the state will bear Rs 250 crore. During 2020-21, the state government has released Rs 65 crore for the project. The project began in October 2020 and is expected to be completed by December 2023. The tender process is in progress and at present earthwork, and an extension of major bridges and minor bridges, are in progress.
Progress of the doubling works between BYPL to Hosuru. Despite pandemic work is progressing with full speed on the ground. pic.twitter.com/xEbQKW5bh8
— DRM Bengaluru (@drmsbc) June 24, 2021
The 22-km Yeshvanthpur-Channasandra project has an estimated cost of Rs 315 crore, of which the state government will bear Rs 157 crore. During 2020-21, Rs 35 crore was released by the state government. The work on the project commenced in October 2020 and is planned to be completed by December 2023. All major tenders pertaining to the project like civil works and S&T works have been awarded, while earthwork is in progress.
On completion of these two doubling projects, additional train services can be operated from Yeshvantpur/Bengaluru City railway stations. The CM directed officials to complete the works in a time-bound manner.
R Ashoka, Minister for Revenue, Kapil Mohan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Infrastructure Development Department, South Western Railway’s DRM Ashok Kumar Verma and other senior officials were present.
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