A revised feasibility report will be tabled for the Bengaluru suburban rail project. The report will have reduced a number of stations as well as the length of the alignment as per conditions laid down by the prime minister’s office.
The number of stations has come down from 86 to 62 while the length of the alignment has been shortened by 12.33 km. The new suburban rail alignment of five corridors will have a length of 148 km and is expected to reduce the cost by Rs 5,000 crore.
The previous DPR had estimated the cost at Rs 19,500 crore. The previous proposal to connect Nelamangala has also been dropped by terminating the line at Chikkabanavara. The corridor will exploit quadrupling of the Bengaluru Cantonment-Whitefield line and utilise two additional lines for running the local trains.
The Kengeri line has been terminated at Bengaluru Cantonment while the Heelalige-Devanahalli corridor has been tweaked to connect Rajanukunte instead. The state government has taken steps to set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for implementing the suburban rail project.