BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh C Angadi on Monday called upon Railway Board members in New Delhi to expedite the suburban railway project for the state. The project, cleared by the state as well as the Railways, is presently awaiting clearance from the extended Railway Board.
The Rs 15,990 crore project aims to connect 148.17km of the city through four corridors and has a 2025 deadline. The corridors are: Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (Bengaluru City)-Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka-Devanahalli-Kempegowda International Airport; Baiyappanahalli-Banaswadi-Lottegehalli-Whitefield-Yesvantpur; Kengeri-Cantonment-Whitefield and Hella lige-Baiyappan ahalli-Channasandra-Yelahanka-Rajanakunte.
At another meeting held between top railway officials and MPs the main agenda was to speed up the suburban rail project. Among the MPs present were P C Mohan, Tejasvi Surya, S Senthil Kumar and Sumalatha Ambareesh and four Rajya Sabha MPs.
Angadi told The New Indian Express, “I have asked the Railway Board officials to expedite its clearance as soon as possible. It is likely to come through after Diwali,” he said.
A top railway official told The New Indian Express, “The project was cleared by the state in August and the Railway Ministry in September. The extended board is likely to clear it this month. It also includes members of the Niti Aayog. After that, the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs needs to approve it. We are hoping it is all completed by this end of this year.”