Bengaluru Ring Rail Project Gets Nod

A ring railway line is being planned around Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, India. The proposed project envisages the construction of a 287-kilometer-long circular rail network that will connect eight towns located around Bengaluru, including Nelamangala, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, and Malur. The project will have ten "spokes" or inward connections to the circular line, providing seamless connectivity to the city's core.

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the project on Monday, stating that Rs 7 crore has been sanctioned for conducting a pre-feasibility study and alignment study. Once these studies are completed, work on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) will commence. The project will be undertaken by the Indian Railways.

The proposed ring railway line is expected to significantly enhance Bengaluru's rail connectivity, easing traffic congestion and providing a more efficient mode of transportation for commuters. The project is also expected to boost economic development in the surrounding towns and villages.

Vaishnaw also addressed the issue of Rail Infrastructure Company Limited (K-RIDE), a joint venture between the Karnataka government and the Ministry of Railways, lacking a full-time managing director. He assured that he would take up the matter with the state government. K-RIDE is responsible for implementing the suburban railway project in Bengaluru.

Regarding the delay in the implementation of the suburban railway project, Vaishnaw blamed the previous Union governments. He stated that the first corridor of the project is finally seeing the light of day. The project, which has been plagued by several delays, is expected to gain momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in June 2022 that Bengaluru will have a suburban railway within 40 months. The rail network, spanning 148.17 kilometers, is estimated to cost Rs 15,767 crore.

In addition to the ring railway line project, other rail infrastructure projects in Bengaluru are progressing well. One such project is the quadrupling of the line between Bengaluru Cantonment and Whitefield, which is expected to significantly improve rail connectivity between these two important areas.

News by Rahul Yelligetti