Bengaluru: South Western Railway (SWR) has pushed the completion deadline for quadrupling of the rail corridor between Cantonment and Whitefield to March 2027. The project was sanctioned in 2018 and SWR maintains that 75% of the work is complete.The 19km project, approved at an estimated cost of Rs 492 crore, is intended to ease congestion on one of Bengaluru’s busiest rail corridors, linking the central business district with the city’s IT hub at Whitefield. The corridor serves key stations en route, including Bengaluru East, Byappanahalli, KR Pura, and Hoodi Halt.At the time of sanction, the railways projected that the upgraded line would benefit approximately 62,000 daily commuters. However, the project faced repeated delays, with multiple deadlines announced and subsequently missed over the years. The project is now estimated to cost Rs 664.5 crore.SWR officials said 25% of the work is pending, and the first phase of the project from Cantonment to Byappanahalli West Cabin, covering 5km, has already been commissioned. “The rest of the stretch from Byappanahalli to Whitefield, spanning 14km, will be completed by March 2027,” an official said.Asked why the execution of the project is taking more time, SWR said the work within city limits involves multiple challenges, including the movement of machinery and the shifting of utilities.Another official said, “Remodelling of major yards at Byappanahalli, KR Pura, and Whitefield posed challenges.” In addition, the construction of retaining walls to accommodate new lines is an issue due to the non-availability of sufficient railway land.SWR chief PRO Manjunath Kanamadi said once complete, there will be improved mobility on this corridor. “Currently, an average of 47 up and 47 down trains operate daily between Bengaluru Cantonment and Byappanahalli, and 40 up and 40 down services between Byappanahalli and Whitefield. With the induction of an additional dedicated Memu rake, up to 14 more up and 14 down services can be introduced daily, excluding a three-hour corridor block. The average end-to-end travel time between Cantonment and Whitefield is estimated at 35 minutes, with a 10-minute turnaround for cab changes at either end. There are plans to expand services towards Tumakuru, Hosur and Kuppam railway stations, subject to demand. Maintenance infrastructure at Banaswadi railway station will also need to be upgraded to support additional Memu rakes,” he said.The official said redevelopment at Whitefield railway station is nearing completion, with works such as platform shelters, a new food plaza building, parking facilities for two- and four-wheelers, and landscaping already finished. “Construction of a 12-metre-wide foot overbridge is currently in progress,” he said.At KR Pura railway station, facilities including vehicle parking, a VIP lounge, and pay-and-use toilets have been completed. Shelters on Platform 4 and the third entry station building are under construction.“Work on a 12-metre-wide foot overbridge will be taken up after yard remodelling as part of the quadrupling project,” he said.
