The railway board sanctioned the doubling of tracks between Byappanahalli and Hosur in 2018-19. However, nearly eight years later, the project remains incomplete and has exceeded its original budget by Rs 190 crore.
Project Overview and Current Status
The 48-kilometer project was handed over to the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride) in 2020. Since then, progress has been sluggish, with only 14 kilometers (30 percent) commissioned so far.
Initially, the railways sanctioned the project with an estimated cost of Rs 498.7 crore. It also included the revamping of four railway stations along the route. As of April 30, K-Ride has spent Rs 688.8 crore. While costs have significantly escalated, considerable work remains.
Reasons for Cost Escalation
According to K-Ride, the cost increased because several initial plans were altered with long-term benefits in mind. K-Ride managing director Lakshman Singh explained, "Initially, there was only one loop line. Then we thought of providing more loop lines and more facilities at every station. We thought of providing better facilities in the new stations rather than renovating them later on, which might cost much more."
Singh also pointed out that the newly commissioned stations have better facilities than originally mooted. While all four stations, including Bellandur Road and Huskur, have been commissioned, two major bridges, a rail over-bridge, two minor bridges, and 18 kilometers of track lining are still to be completed.
Remaining Work and Timeline
As much as 9.7 kilometers of track between Byappanahalli and Bellandur Road, along with 24.5 kilometers between Heelalige and Hosur, remain incomplete. The Heelalige-Hosur section is expected to be completed by the end of the year, but full commissioning may have to wait until early 2027, with February likely as the deadline. According to South Western Railway (SWR), the commissioning will happen in three phases.
Additional Infrastructure
Despite not being included in the initial project plan, K-Ride is constructing a rail over-bridge at Chandapura with a six-lane national highway running under it. Officials revealed that the bridge is being built without any additional financial support.
Justifying the increased spending, Singh said the project is executed with a long-term plan. "Whatever assets are getting created will last for hundreds of years," he clarified.
