Bengaluru: Suburban rail project to get 1.2 km double-decker at Mathikere

Bengaluru: After Namma Metro, it's now the turn of the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) to feature a double-decker. 

Bengaluru Integrated Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise Limited (Bi-RIDE) will build a 1.2-km road-cum-suburban railway flyover at Mathikere, officials said. 

This double-decker will be part of the Lottegollahalli-Yeshwanthpur section of the BSRP's 25.01-km Mallige Line, which will connect Benniganahalli to Chikkabanavara. 

Authorities had decided to build the double-decker following a request from the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) earlier this year. In the double-decker, the suburban railway track will be built above the flyover. 

BI-RIDE is a special purpose vehicle of the Railway Infrastructure Development Company Karnataka (K-RIDE). 

While K-RIDE awarded the flyover work under a variation order to L&T Ltd as part of the Mallige Line contract, the company did not take it up and later terminated the original contract itself. 

"The BBMP wanted a double-decker to accommodate road traffic and agreed to fund it for Rs 150 crore. We awarded the flyover work to L&T as a variation in the original contract. We have retained it in the fresh tenders," K-RIDE Managing Director Govinda Reddy told DH. 

According to another senior K-RIDE official, the double-decker will be built close to the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee flyover, which runs across the railway track, and will not be demolished. 

Work on the Mallige Line, as well as the Kanaka Line (Heelalige-Rajanukunte, 46.88 km), has stalled since March following a dispute with L&T Ltd, the contractor. 

The company terminated its viaduct contract for both lines in July and demanded Rs 505 crore in claims. Overall progress is just 18.5%. 

On Tuesday, BI-RIDE invited tenders in three packages to complete the Mallige Line's pending work. 

Package 1: A 7.795-km Rail Over Rail (ROR) viaduct between Benniganahalli and Shettihalli, including the double-decker, a double-decker station at Mathikere, balance works at Benniganahalli station. Deadline: 24 months. 

Package 2: An 11.59-km at-grade section from Bennigenahalli to Banaswadi and Banaswadi to Hebbal, including station boxes at Nagavara and Kanakanagar. Deadline: 18 months. 

Package 3: A 5.8-km at-grade section between Yeshwanthpur and Chikkabanavara and a 185-metre-long elevated track. Deadline: 18 months. 

The new contractor will also have to conduct stability checks of works undertaken by L&T. The three packages will eliminate eight level-crossings. 

With January 5 the last date to submit the bids, Reddy said they were hopeful of finalising the contractor by early February. 

According to him, nearly all railway land is now available for the Mallige Line. "We have cleared all encroachments from railway land," he stated. 

Notified slum dwellers, he noted, will be paid shifting charges and building valuation within two weeks as per the rules. 

Only 18 private properties need to be acquired. "A preliminary notification has been issued and we aim to get possession by December end. By the time we award the contract, we will have all the land," Reddy added. 

Tenders for the Kanaka Line will be called after two months. 

"On this line, most of the railway land is in our possession. Private properties are also being acquired. We aim to wrap up the process in six months," he added.