Things are really going great for Bengaluru commuters who have been waiting for the suburban train network to take off since long. Now, the much delayed suburban train network seems to be on the verge of taking off with the Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy showing interest in the related matters.
Network To Provide Relief From Traffic Congestion
As per reports, the CM recently instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure clearances for all the issues related to the project. RITES, an engineering consultancy company have already sent a proposal on the suburban train network projecting a ridership of around 9 lakh daily by 2025. The company projection states that the ridership may rise to 16.38 lakh by 2041.
According to the report, this network will provide the much-needed relief from the traffic congestion to the people in Bengaluru. The recommendation says that the network should have direct connectivity to KIA airport.
Proposed Routes By RITES After Aerial Survey
RITES conducted a drone-based aerial survey and proposed the following routes:
a) Kengeri – Bengaluru City – Whitefield — 35 km
b) Bengaluru City – Yelahanka – Rajankunti — 27 km
c) Nelamangala – Mathikere – Baiyyappanahalli—39 km
d) Heelalige – Yelahanka – Devanahalli— 60 km
All these routes together will have a network of 161 km and each station will be at a distance of around 1.8 km from the other. The expected investment required for the completion of this suburban train network is around Rs.19,500 crore. At present, the daily average ridership of the Bangalore Metro Transport Corporation (BMTC) is around 45 lakh. On the other hand, Namma Metro has an average daily ridership of 4 lakh with its existing network of 42 km.
12 Stations To Have Intermodal Connectivity With Metro Stations
Out of the total proposed 81 stations, 12 will have intermodal connectivity with metro stations. Similarly, five stations will have interconnectivity among the suburban train network. The work can finish off quickly as the basic infrastructure for these routes is already present. Some 52 stations will require platforms whereas at some places there is a requirement of quadrupling or doubling of tracks. The officials stated that once they receive funds the work will begin immediately in phases. They are planning to increase the service based on the demand by the end of 2020.
The state government is planning to suggest some minor inputs to the RITES proposal and start the work prior to the beginning of the Lok Sabha elections. Accordingly, both the railway authorities and the Karnataka Chief Secretary have conducted a series of meetings and discussions. The Chief Minister also stated that after his meeting with the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal he asked Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar to clear necessary paperwork.
According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the honorable guest for keeping foundation stone for the project.
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