The Indian Railways has announced plans to quadruple at least four key railway routes in Karnataka, in a bid to cope with the increasing demand for train services in the state. The project, which is expected to cost around Rs 10,000 crore, will cover the Bengaluru-Tumakuru, Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bangarapet-Jolarpettai and Bengaluru-Whitefield sections, spanning a total of 385 km.
The Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, revealed the proposal during his visit to Bengaluru on Friday, where he inspected the progress of various railway projects in the city. He said that the quadrupling of the routes will not only enhance the capacity and efficiency of the railways, but also provide better connectivity and comfort to the passengers.
“The quadrupling of these routes will enable us to run more trains, reduce congestion, improve punctuality and safety, and offer faster travel options to the people of Karnataka. It will also facilitate the seamless movement of freight trains, which will boost the economy and development of the state,” Vaishnaw said.
He added that the railways will also upgrade the signalling and electrification systems, construct new stations and bridges, and improve the amenities and facilities along the routes. He assured that the project will be completed in a time-bound manner, with minimal disruption to the existing train services.
One of the major benefits of the quadrupling project will be the improvement in the train services between Bengaluru and Mysuru, which is one of the most popular and busiest routes in the state. The quadrupling of the 135 km stretch will enable the railways to run more trains, including high-speed trains like the Vande Bharat Express, which currently takes about two hours to cover the distance.
However, a railway official said that the quadrupling alone will not suffice to achieve the optimal speed and performance of the trains, as the route has 130 curves along the 139 km stretch. He said that the railways will have to acquire additional land adjacent to the tracks, to straighten the curves and reduce the gradient.
“By acquiring land and straightening the curves, we can increase the speed of the trains from 110 kmph to 150 kmph, which will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru by half an hour. This will also enhance the safety and comfort of the passengers, as the trains will have less jerks and vibrations,” the official said.
He said that the railways has already initiated the process of land acquisition, and is in talks with the state government and the land owners. He hoped that the land acquisition will be completed soon, and the work on the quadrupling and curve rectification will start simultaneously.
Another route that will benefit from the quadrupling project is the Bengaluru-Tumakuru section, which has witnessed a surge in rail traffic in recent years, due to the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of Tumakuru and its neighbouring districts. The quadrupling of the 70 km stretch will enable the railways to run more suburban and intercity trains, as well as freight trains, to cater to the growing demand.
The other two routes that will be quadrupled are the Bangarapet-Jolarpettai section, which is a crucial link between Bengaluru and Chennai, and the Bengaluru-Whitefield section, which serves the IT hub of the city. The quadrupling of these routes will also improve the train services and connectivity, and ease the congestion and delays.
The quadrupling project is part of the railways’ vision to transform Karnataka into a railway hub, and provide world-class rail infrastructure and services to the state. The railways has also undertaken several other projects in the state, such as the doubling of the Hosur-Bengaluru line, the construction of the Bengaluru suburban rail network, the development of the Bengaluru railway station, and the introduction of new trains and routes.
