Baiyappanahalli-Anekal stretch on IT corridor to be electrified; Halt station connecting to KIA in April

In keeping with the momentum gained during the announcement of the South Western Railway's Budget outlay, a key section of the railway line connecting the IT corridor is soon going to have electric trains even as officials called tender for electrification of the airport line.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on Thursday inspected the electrification of Baiyappanahalli-Anekal stretch of the Hosur railway line.

Divisional Railway Manager Ashok Kumar Verma said the entire inspection process went smoothly. "We are confident that we have met the required standards. The CRS report is expected in the next few days," he said.

Urban Transport activist Sanjeev Dyamannavar said the entire line till Hosur should be electrified to run more MEMU trains to the IT corridor.

Meanwhile, the halt station to connect the Kempegowda International Airport is likely to be operational in April though the DRM noted that services can be started only after feeder bus services are provided to the upcoming station near the Trumpet Flyover.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) CEO Hari Marar said the construction of the building that will house the halt station will be completed by the end of April. However, he did not reply to a question on providing feeder services.

Airport line electrification

The prospect of fast MEMU trains linking the city to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) got brighter with the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) floating a tender to electrify the Yelahanka-Bangarpet section.

Electrification of this section – which includes Devanahalli, Chickaballapura, Kolar and Bangarpet – would mean MEMU trains can operate on the Yelahanka–Devanahalli line. A halt station at the airport is coming up fast and is likely to be operationalised by mid-March.

Once the station is ready, the existing three pairs of trains running on this route will have a one-minute halt. KIA's operator, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which is building the station, has already announced that it would operate shuttle buses till the terminals.