At 287 km, Bengaluru to get India's largest circular railway

City needs to plan now to address transportation needs of next 40-50 years: Railway minister.

Bengaluru: Bengaluru will get a 287-km circular railway that will link all important towns around it in the largest-of-its-kind network in India, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Monday.

The network will be built in keeping with the city's requirements for the next 40-50 years, providing it "complete connectivity" over seven railway paths, Vaishnaw told reporters after holding a review meeting of railway projects in Bengaluru.

While the project to build a circular railway has been talked about for a long time, this was the first time that it was confirmed by the highest levels of the government.

Ashwini pitched the circular railway, together with the under-construction Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP), as the "only solution" for addressing the city's transportation needs.

"Considering Bengaluru's needs for the next 40-50 years, we have sanctioned Rs 7 crore for conducting a feasibility and alignment study for a circular/ring railway. Over a period of time, it will become the biggest (network of its kind in India)," he stated.

Chennai has India's largest circular railway at 235.5 km. Bengaluru could not only surpass it but, together with the 149-km suburban railway, could get India's largest suburban railway network after Kolkata.

While the minister didn't specify when the circular railway would become a reality, well-placed sources in the South Western Railway (SWR) said it could happen in the next five years if "everything goes smoothly".

The circular railway is aimed at creating a hub-and-spoke model of public transportation where the city's core will be seamlessly integrated with seven spokes (or arteries) located about 20-25 km away. It will help run suburban trains between the city and the suburban towns. Further, it will make it easier for trains from Mysuru to go directly to Salem or Tumakuru.

In essence, it will be the railways' version of the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR).

At the press conference, Vaishnaw said it would be a Nidavanda-Nidavanda line via Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Malur, Heelalige, Hejjala and Solur. Nidavanda is a small village near Nelamangala on Bengaluru's northwestern outskirts.

The minister stressed that a rail-based system is the only way to transport people within large cities, such as Tokyo, London, Delhi or Bengaluru.

Railway sources say the study will be conducted by the SWR's Construction Organisation and tenders will be called soon.

The report will be ready by September 2024. Afterwards, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be taken up, most likely in 2025. The DPR could take at least a year. If all other things are firmed up, 80-90 km of the circular railway could be built every year. The circular railway will have at least two tracks and will be fully electrified, according to sources.

Discordant note

Prakash Mandoth, president of the Bengaluru Metro and Suburban Passengers' Association, said the circular railway wouldn't be of much help unless it was connected with the 149-km BSRP.

"We need seamless integration of the two or else there will be missing links. The railways must connect all industrial hubs and neighbouring towns with the city's core," said Prakash Mandoth, president of the Bengaluru Metro and Suburban Passengers' Association.

The SWR has, however, turned down the Railway Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd's request for approval to extend the BSRP to neighbouring towns. Under Phase 2, the agency has proposed a 352-km extension of the BSPR to link it to Mysuru, Tumakuru, Kolar, Bangarpet, Hosur and Gauribidanur.

A railway source confirmed that the proposal had been shot down.