Electric train in bengaluru from Herald Metro to Whitefield
BENGALURU: An electric train exclusively connecting Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield is on the anvil. This is expected to compensate for the disruption of road traffic during the construction of the Metro line between the two suburbs.
With the construction of the Metro extension project from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield likely to start in the next six months, authorities anticipate disruption to road traffic.Besides, the Metro project is likely to take three years to complete.
Based on a proposal submitted by citizen-activist group Whitefield Rising, the state government has asked the South Western Railway (SWR) to run additional mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) trains in the morning and evening peak hours Rs as an emergency in current traffic situation'.
The proposal now awaits approval from the Railways. "We have forwarded the recommendations to the Railways for approval. More details on who (the state government or the Railways) would procure new electric trains and take up operations will be known once the decision is taken," said Sanjeev Aggarwal, outgoing Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore City .
This proposal is part of the Rs 360-crore project for the replace ment of 15 conventional trains into electric trains. "Each MEMU train, with a carrying capacity of 2,500 passengers, would cost about Rs 20 crore.While Rs 25 crore has been earmarked to augment the maintenance facility for MEMU services at Banaswadi, Rs 4 crore will be spent on in stalling automatic signalling towards efficient movement of trains," sources in the SWR said.
Besides Whitefield, train services might also improve from the city railway station towards Bangarpet, Mysuru, Doddaballapura and Tumakuru.
Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary , department of urban development, said the state government has already provided 80 per cent of the Rs 360 crore. "The procurement of trains will be taken up by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport while the Railways would look after operations and maintenance (O&M) until the special purpose vehicle on suburban rail project is formed," he said.
Sajeev Dyamannavar, a commuter rail activist, urged the Railways to provide already manufactured electric train to Bengaluru as it did on the Ramanagara line recently."Manufacturing a new rake would take a minimum of one year, which is too long a period to wait," he said.
At present, there are three MEMU services to Whitefield between 7.10 am and 9.45 am and five MEMU services between 3.45 pm and 7.30 pm.One of the complaints is that these trains do not run on schedule due to congestion in the Bengaluru City Railway Station. Aggarwal promised the new electric train to Whitefield would be on time as it starts from Baiyappanahalli.
With the construction of the Metro extension project from Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield likely to start in the next six months, authorities anticipate disruption to road traffic.Besides, the Metro project is likely to take three years to complete.
Based on a proposal submitted by citizen-activist group Whitefield Rising, the state government has asked the South Western Railway (SWR) to run additional mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) trains in the morning and evening peak hours Rs as an emergency in current traffic situation'.
The proposal now awaits approval from the Railways. "We have forwarded the recommendations to the Railways for approval. More details on who (the state government or the Railways) would procure new electric trains and take up operations will be known once the decision is taken," said Sanjeev Aggarwal, outgoing Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore City .
This proposal is part of the Rs 360-crore project for the replace ment of 15 conventional trains into electric trains. "Each MEMU train, with a carrying capacity of 2,500 passengers, would cost about Rs 20 crore.While Rs 25 crore has been earmarked to augment the maintenance facility for MEMU services at Banaswadi, Rs 4 crore will be spent on in stalling automatic signalling towards efficient movement of trains," sources in the SWR said.
Besides Whitefield, train services might also improve from the city railway station towards Bangarpet, Mysuru, Doddaballapura and Tumakuru.
Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary , department of urban development, said the state government has already provided 80 per cent of the Rs 360 crore. "The procurement of trains will be taken up by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport while the Railways would look after operations and maintenance (O&M) until the special purpose vehicle on suburban rail project is formed," he said.
Sajeev Dyamannavar, a commuter rail activist, urged the Railways to provide already manufactured electric train to Bengaluru as it did on the Ramanagara line recently."Manufacturing a new rake would take a minimum of one year, which is too long a period to wait," he said.
At present, there are three MEMU services to Whitefield between 7.10 am and 9.45 am and five MEMU services between 3.45 pm and 7.30 pm.One of the complaints is that these trains do not run on schedule due to congestion in the Bengaluru City Railway Station. Aggarwal promised the new electric train to Whitefield would be on time as it starts from Baiyappanahalli.
