Chief Secretary directs swift completion of Kanakanagar stretch of Bengaluru suburban rail project

Officials attribute the setbacks to several factors, particularly encroachment on railway land, delay in land acquisition, and complications in shifting utility services of various agencies 

Updated - October 29, 2024 09:58 pm IST - Bengaluru

A file photo of the suburban railway project work near Hebbal railway station in Bengaluru.

A file photo of the suburban railway project work near Hebbal railway station in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit:

Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Tuesday inspected the Kanakanagar site of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project’s (BSRP) Mallige Line and directed Manjula N., Managing Director of the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd. (K-RIDE), to expedite works on the line.

Expressing her dissatisfaction with the prolonged delays, Ms. Rajneesh instructed officials and contractors to expedite construction. Officials attribute the setbacks to several factors, particularly encroachment on railway land, delay in land acquisition, and complications in shifting utility services of various agencies. “Already, 62 cases of railway land encroachment have been identified, and notices have been issued to address these issues. Coordination with multiple agencies is also under way to streamline the shifting of utilities, with the goal of removing further obstacles,” Ms. Manjula said.

The Kanakanagar-Hebbal segment addresses a significant infrastructure issue in Bengaluru: level-crossings within densely populated areas. “Rather than a road overbridge (RoB), which is difficult to implement in space-constrained regions, K-RIDE is constructing an elevated rail section,” said Ms. Manjula. “This approach preserves community connectivity while ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow by completely eliminating level-crossings. This elevated model is a pioneering strategy in India and sets a new standard in urban transit infrastructure,” she added.

The suburban rail project spans 149.348 km with 64 stations across four major corridors, including the ongoing Mallige Line. With an estimated budget of ₹15,767 crore, the project aims to improve Bengaluru’s transit infrastructure and is projected for completion by 2026.

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