Bengaluru Suburban Rail: Karnataka Government Finalises Tender Of Rs 859 Crore To Build 25 Km Corridor-2 (Mallige Line)

Karnataka government has finalised a tender for building a 25-km stretch on corridor 2 of the proposed Bengaluru suburban railway project. The tender is valued at Rs 859 crore, according to state infrastructure and housing minister V Somanna.  

The 25.57 km long "Mallige" (corridor 2 ) is the project's first phase and is estimated to be completed in 2026.

The Mallige corridor would have stations at Byappanahalli, Kasturi Nagar, Sevanagar, Banaswadi, Kaveri Nagar, Nagawara, Kanakanagar, Hebbal, Lottegollahalli, Yeswantpur, Jalahalli, Shettihalli, Myadarahalli and Chikkabanavara.

The project's implementing agency, the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited - KRIDE, has issued a work order to Larsen & Toubro for civil works on corridor-2 (Mallige line) from Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara in August. 

The basic infrastructure for the second stretch of the four-corridors suburban railway system will be finished in 27 months, Minister V Somanna told the Karnataka Legislative Council on Wednesday (21 September), reports Indian Express. 

He spoke in response to a query from BJP member H S Gopinath. The electrification of the line will follow this. 

The project was first proposed in 1983 by a Southern Railways expert team and was estimated to span 58 km. The proposal was included in Karnataka's first Transportation Survey, commissioned by then-chief minister R Gundu Rao.

According to Somanna, the state government has allocated Rs 120 crore to the preliminary work for the 148 km suburban railway.

In November last year, K-RIDE (a joint venture between the state government and the ministry of railways) floated the first civil work tender to construct an 8 km elevated viaduct as a part of the 25-km Mallige line (corridor 2).

In the following phase, a tender will be released for constructing the Kanaka Line (corridor 4) from Heelalige to Rajankunte. There are 19 stations over its 46 km of total length.

The KSR Bengaluru to Devanahalli line (corridor-1) connecting Kempegowda International Airport will be implemented later. Sampige is the name given to this line.

Corridor 3 from Kengeri to Whitefield is the other line whose construction is considered. Parijatha is the name of this line. There are 148 stations throughout the four lines, and a further 57 will be built.

On 20 June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the suburban rail project in the city. The PM promised that the project would be completed in 40 months.

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project rail will link Bengaluru to its satellite townships, suburbs, and surrounding rural areas by a rail-based rapid-transit system network. The commuter rail network will comprise four corridors and 57 stations which cover 148.17 km.

It is being built at the cost of Rs 15,767 crore. K-RIDE will raise debt funding to Rs 7,438 crore through borrowings to implement the project. The union and state governments will fund the remaining portion of the project.

When complete, the commuter rail system will connect the capital to its outskirts in six directions — towards Kengeri (Mysuru side), Chikkabanavara (Tumakuru side), Rajanukunte (Doddaballapura side), Devanahalli (Kolar side), Whitefield (Bangarapet side), and Heelalige.

Out of the four corridors proposed as part of the suburban rail project, the state government has prioritised two corridors.

• 25.57km long "Mallige" (corridor 2 ) connecting areas between Baiyappanahalli Terminal-Chikkabanavara comprises 14 stations.

• 46.24km long “Kanaka” (corridor 4) covering Heelalige-Baiyappanahalli-Channasandra-Yelahanka-Rajanagunte comprising 19 stations.

41.40km long "Sampige" (corridor 1) that will connect KSR Bengaluru City (Majestic) to Devanahalli with 15 stations, and 35.52-km- long "Parijata" 9 (corridor 3) will be 35.52-km long with 19 stations between Kengeri and Whitefield, will be taken up as part of subsequent phase.

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