Bengaluru Suburban Rail Finally In Full Steam As K-Ride Floats Civil Work Tenders For 25.57 km Mallige Corridor Between Benniganahalli, Chikkabanavara

The Rail Infrastructure Development Company, Karnataka, (K-RIDE) — a joint venture of the government of Karnataka and the Union Ministry of Railways — on Tuesday (Nov 24) floated the first civil work tender for the 25-km Mallige line (Corridor 2) of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project between Benniganahalli and Chikkabanavara.

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 of 4 corridors, 57 stations and cover 148.17 kilometres. It is being build at the cost of Rs 15,767-crores.

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

• 25.57 km- long "Mallige” (Corridor-2 ) connecting areas between Baiyappanahalli Terminal-Chikkabanavara comprising of 14 stations.

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

41.40 km-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-kilometres long with 19 stations between Kengeri and Whitefield, will be taken up as part of next phase.

Mallige Corridor

The Mallige corridor, for which tenders have been floated will have stations at Byappanahalli, Kasturi Nagar, Sevanagar, Banaswadi,Kaveri Nagar, Nagawara, Kanakanagar, Hebbal, Lottegollahalli, Yeswantpur, Jalahalli, Shettihalli, Myadarahalli and Chikkabanavara.

The Times Of India reported that a pre-bid meeting will be held on Dec 17 and tender is likely to be opened on January 10, 2022. The civil work is expected to be complete in 27 months

Project Cost

While the initial cost of the suburban rail network was estimated at Rs 18,621 crore, it has since been revised downwards to Rs 15,767 crore by opting for a PPP (public-private partnership) model for procurement, operation and maintenance of rolling stock thereby bringing down capital cost. The Rs 2,854 crore PPP model for rolling stock will be implemented in the form of a 30-year lease for 306 AC coaches.

The State and the Centre will contribute Rs 2,479 crore each, while Rs 7,438 crore will be borrowed.