Indian Railways Photo for Representational Purposes. (PTI File Photo)
BENGALURU: The over two-decade-old demand for a suburban railway network for the city has finally been met by the Railways with the project and amount approved for it in the Railway budget 2018-2019. Meanwhile, a 142-km corridor costing Rs 12,061 crore has been approved according to the Pink Book (register of railway projects and costs) made public on Tuesday. An additional 19 km of suburban rail has also been incorporated under its doubling projects thereby bringing the overall suburban network to 161 km.
The Chief Public Relations Officer of South Western Railways E Vijaya said the 161-km route recently announced for the suburban rail network for Bengaluru has been approved but it has been incorporated under different heads. “Nearly 19 km of the suburban route between Banaswadi and Hebbal and that between Channapatna and Karmelaram via Baiyappanahalli has been brought under the doubling project category,” she said. A token sum of Rs 1 crore has been released in the budget to carry out survey and other preliminary works pertaining to the suburban project, she said.
Doubling projects
Among other new works approved were 212.54 km of doubling project for a total cost of Rs 840 crore for three doubling lines. The 49-km double line between Baiyappanahalli and Hosur cost Rs 375.67 crore, the 21.7 km line between Yeshwantpur and Channasandra cost Rs 169.95 crore, while the 41.5 km double line between Pennukonda and Dharmavaram cost Rs 294.67 crore.
Electrification works
Electrification works running to 989 km have been approved and will cost Rs 919.44 crore.
A total of 23 Railway under bridges and 5 Railway over bridges have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 131.89 crore.
Among other important works are the development of a satellite terminal at Naganahalli for a cost of Rs 789.3 crore. Modernisation of signalling across the South Western Railway has been okayed at a cost of Rs 250 crore.
The budget has earmarked Rs 716.75 crore for new lines and Rs 984.45 crore for doubling works. Of vital importance to the Bengaluru Division are Rs 6 crore earmarked for quadrupling of the Bangalore-Whitefield-Bangalore City-Krishnarajapuram line, Rs 120 crore earmarked for the 120.53 km Yelahanka-Penukonda line.
Fact Sheet
D3,353 cr had been sanctioned in the budget for the current year as against B3,174 crore last year
State Burden Reduced
D12,061 cr approved for the suburban rail project will be borne on a 50:50 cost sharing basis between the State and the Centre. Sanjeev Dyammanavar of an online activist forum, Praja.in, said, “The much-awaited project has become a reality after over two decades. With the equal cost sharing model adopted, it has reduced burden on the State.”
