Bengaluru: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has begun the work of constructing a railway underpass at Challaghatta, using box-pushing technique.
Once ready, the project will provide a seamless link between Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout and Mysuru Road. The work involves pushing 1,000-tonne precast concrete boxes beneath active railway tracks without disrupting train services.
This is part of the 11-km major arterial road (MAR) project, connecting Magadi Road and Mysuru Road, which is a shorter version of the peripheral road network that ultimately joins the proposed peripheral ring road.
Senior BDA officials called the project a complex and interesting engineering process.
“This is about making an 8-lane road to cross the railway tracks underneath at Challaghatta. A section of the railway line, where the road intersects it, is cut, which is equal to the width of the 8-lane road (4-lane width at a time).
"Once cut, it is removed by a huge crane and the ballast and soil under it are cleared. Then, new temporary railway tracks are mounted, making space for the huge concrete boxes to be pushed beneath,” he said.
The project — implemented with the help of South Western Railway (SWR) officials — is expected to be completed in three months.