Suburban stations: Significant initial progress but still a long way to go

Mallige Line (Corridor 2)

• This is the only line where significant groundwork has begun. L&T is the contractor for the design and construction of viaducts (piers).
• Yeshwanthpur-Chikkabanavar (8 km) will be the first to complete.
• Preliminary works such as survey, soil investigation, alignment design, utility identification and coordination with all stakeholders have been completed. Levelling of ground, setting up of casting yard, batching plant, design of minor and major bridges, U and I girder works, etc are in progress.
• Work has been completed to expand 4 minor bridges. Work on 10 other minor bridges will get over in the next two weeks. The minor bridges run parallel to the railway track and need to be expanded to prevent waterlogging.
• Construction of retaining wall is going on at four places.
• Test piles have been done at Hebbal and Yeshwanthpur. Earthwork is in progress between Chikkabanavar and Yeshwantpur.
• Signalling and Telecommunication utilities have been shifted. Electrical utilities and HT lines are being shifted.
• Piling and pile cap work is going on. Pier construction will start in 2 months.
• Railway land (157 acres) has been acquired; Encroachments and structures are still being removed. Land from the state government and IAF will be acquired shortly. Defence land of about 7.38 acres is required at Jalahalli, Nagawara, and CQAE near Yeshwanthpur. In-principle approval has been obtained in some locations from defence authorities.
• Private land acquisition in advanced stages. Tenders for the construction of 12 stations will be opened on August 9.

Kanaka Line (Corridor 4)

• Tenders for the design and construction of viaducts will be opened on July 5 and finalised in Q2 of 2023-24.
• Utility shifting is going on. The requisition of land for laying 8 km of tracks has been sent to KIADB for acquisition. Acquisition of 193 acres of railway land is underway. The station tender will be called on Aug 9.

Sampige Line (Corridor 1)

• The physical site survey is underway to verify the required structures and prepare estimates. The viaduct tender will be expected in August.

Parijata Line (Corridor 3)

• This will run on two tracks being laid as part of the Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield quadrupling project. It is on hold because of the lack of resources.

System works

• The system works (signalling, traction, telecom, lift, escalator, automatic fare collection etc) will be funded through external loans. Tenders will be called after the loan agreement is signed in September and KRIDE must get no objection from funding agencies.

Depots

• Tenders have been called for the design of depots at Soladevanahalli and Devanahalli, which will serve the entire project.

Rolling stock

• K-RIDE called tenders for procuring 306 AC coaches under PPP. Three firms submitted bids but the tender had to be recalled because the documents submitted by the bidders were not in order. Pre-bid conference was held last week. Bidders will have to quote per-train, per-day cost. Tenders will be opened on July 11.

External funding

• Germany’s KfW will lend €500 mn and European Investment Bank (EIB), Luxembourg, €300 mn. K-RIDE has submitted all the necessary documents. An agreement is likely in September. While the project cost hasn’t been revised as per inflation, GST for work contracts has risen to 18% from 12%.

Physical hurdles

• In some places, buildings, slums, temples, high-tension lines, electrical utilities, water lines, sewer lines and road overbridges are located within the right of way of suburban tracks. K-RIDE is modifying the alignment vertically and horizontally to avoid dismantling buildings and land acquisition issues.

Integration of transport modes

• K-RIDE is working with DULT to integrate the BSRP network with other modes of transport and has appointed an officer for the purpose.
• Yeshwanthpur station will come up behind Vaishnavi Nakshatra and link the railway and metro stations with a foot over-bridge. The Cantonment station will be built within the commuter terminal. Hebbal station will come up towards Nagawara and will link two metro stations. KSR Bengaluru station will be on the median of Gubbi Thotadappa Road, linking metro, railway and bus stations via an FoB. Integration with other transport modes will be tried out even in Kengeri, Lottegollahalli and Muthyalanagar.

Why AC coaches?

• K-RIDE has been criticised for choosing AC coaches. Officials say AC coaches are necessary because two-thirds of the track is elevated. If doors stay open, passengers can jump off. “We don’t want to make our trains suicide points. Besides, AC coaches offer a comfortable and noise-free travel experience,” says an official.