Bengaluru Suburban Rail: KRIDE Invites Construction Bids For 46 km Corridor 4(Kanaka) Connecting Rajanukunte And Heelalige Via Marathahalli

 KRIDE (Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited has invited bids from infrastructure firms for the design and construction of 46 km Corridor 4 ( Kanaka Line) of Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project connecting Heelalige to Rajankunte via Marthahalli.

KRIDE, a joint venture of the Government of Karnataka and Ministry of Railways, is tasked with the implementation of a 148 km line suburban network in the city that will comprise of four corridors.

Corridor 4 ( Kanaka Line) will comprise around 9.9 kms of elevated viaduct and 37.9 km of at-grade railway line.

The last date for submission for design cum construction bid of Corridor 4 ( Kanaka Line) is April 27. The scope of the current tender does not include 19 stations in Kanaka Corridor. KRIDE is reportedely working on finalising the station design.

The stations for the Corridor 4 ( Kanaka Line) will come up at: Rajakunte, Muddana Halli, Yelahanka (interchange), Jakkur, Hegde Nagar, Thanisandra, Hennur, Horamavu, Channasandra, Benniganahalli (interchange), Kagadaspura, Doddanekundi, Marathahalli, Belandur Road, Carmelaram, Ambedkar Nagar, Hsukur, Bommasandra, Heelalige.

The civil works on Corridor 2 (Mallige corridor) connecting Baiyyapanahalli-Chikkabanavara) of the Bengaluru suburban rail project has already commenced.

In August 2022, KRIDE awarded the work on designing and constructing the corridor to leading engineering firm L&T. The 25.57 km corridor comprises of 8.027 km elevated viaduct and 17.551 km at grade line with 14 stations. Works related to barricading, ground-levelling, concrete-batching plant, soil testing and alignment finalisation have been completed for Mallige corridor. .

In December 2022, a major hurdle for construction of Corridor 2 was cleared when an agreement was signed between South Western Railway (SWR) and KRIDE for transfer of railway lands.

As per the agreement reached, for the first phase of work, the SWR has handed over 157 acres of land to the KRIDE. For the suburban rail project, the SWR leased the land for a period of 35 years and charged a nominal rate of ₹1 per acre as the decision was taken by both Central and State governments. 

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project

The commuter rail network will comprise four corridors, 57 stations, and cover 148.17 km.

Sampige (Corridor 1): KSR Bengaluru – Devanahalli (41 km) connecting Kempegowda International Airport

Mallige (Corridor 2): Baiyappanahalli – Chikkabanavara (25.14 km)

Parijatha (Corridor 3) from Kengeri to Whitefield (35.52 km)

Kanaka (Corridor 4): Heelalige – Rajankunte (46.24 km)

The suburban rail project is estimated to cost ₹15,767 crore. Both the State and Union governments will each bear 20% of the cost, while the remaining 60% will be raised through external sources.

On 20 June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the suburban rail project in the city. He promised that the project would be completed in 40 months.

Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project will link Bengaluru to its satellite townships, suburbs, and surrounding rural areas through a rail-based rapid-transit system network.

Bengaluru is also in the advance stages of completing over 50 kms of metro line (including 2 greenfield lines and 2 extensions) that will will open over the next 18 months. Another 58.19 km metro line connecting Central Silk Board And Kempegowda International Airport is also under construction.