Bengaluru suburban rail project to be completed in 6 years

Bengaluru: Bringing a great relief to the people in the city, the long-pending Bengaluru suburban rail project will finally take offin May and it will be completed in six years. The long delay in the implementation of the project has irked the commuters.

In October 2020, the central government had sanctioned Rs 15,767 crore for the Bengaluru suburban rail project consisting of four corridors. Rail Infrastructure Development Company, Karnataka (K-RIDE) has completed the preliminary works on Corridor 2 (Byappanahalli-Chikkabanavar).Last month, Housing and Infrastructure Minister V Somanna told the Assembly that civil work on the project will begin by the end of month. The KSR Bengaluru City Station-Devanahalli Corridor is expected to be completed within three years. The remaining three corridors are to be completed within six years.

"We have started the work on time. The suburban rail project was approved in October 2020. In the past 18 months, due to Covid we have stopped the work for eight months," said an official. Out of the four corridors, two corridors have been fully approved for commencement. Of the 60 stations in the corridor, 30 have been completed. Tenders will be called for the first corridor soon. Amit Garg, Managing Director of Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride), said that land surveys and geographical inspections are also being conducted.

The 148.17km suburban rail project will have four corridors, namely Bengaluru City (KSR) - Devanahalli (41.40 km), Baiyappanahalli - Chikkabanavara (25.01 km), Kengeri-Whitefield Route (36.12 km) andHeelalige-Rajanukunte (46.24 km). These corridors are named after flowers such as Sampi, Jasmine, Parijata and Kanaka.

This is a multi-faceted project to reduce traffic congestion in Bengaluru city and connect it to neighbouring districts. K-Ride has decided to undertake the first phase of the corridor-2 construction civil works.