New Terminal Announced At Devanahalli Railway Station To Ease Bengaluru Congestion, Focus On Suburban Rail Projects

Minister of State for Railways V Somanna announced on Thursday (16 January) that a new terminal will be constructed at Devanahalli railway station to reduce congestion at Bengaluru’s railway stations.

The announcement came during his inspection of infrastructure works at Whitefield, Hoodi Halt, and Carmelaram railway stations.

Somanna revealed that development work worth Rs 1,200 crore at the KSR Bengaluru station is progressing under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Additionally, plans to construct two extra platforms at KSR Bengaluru station, with an estimated budget of Rs 180 crore, and a circular railway network spanning 280 km around Bengaluru are underway to meet increasing passenger demand.

The minister also provided updates on two suburban rail corridors: Benniganahalli to Chikkabanavara (25 km) and Heelalige to Rajanukunte (46.8 km), which are scheduled for completion by March 2027.

The suburban rail project, initially planned for completion within 72 months of its approval in October 2020, saw its foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2022.

At the time, Modi assured that the long-delayed project, pending for 40 years, would be completed in 40 months.

Somanna also highlighted progress on the quadrupling of the railway line between Bengaluru Cantonment and Whitefield, which is expected to improve regional connectivity significantly.

Addressing the challenges encountered during the inspection, Somanna said that the primary challenge in the region has been rainwater drainage, emphasising the need to tackle this issue.

He added that the focus will be on constructing or improving Road Over Bridges (ROBs), Road Under Bridges (RUBs), underpasses, and water vents to facilitate traffic and water flow.