Just ₹1 crore sanctioned for suburban railway project

‘The project is likely to get delayed by another year’

Citizens are disappointed over the allocation of funds for the much-delayed suburban rail project, as yet again, the South Western Railway Pink Book has allocated only a token amount of ₹1 crore for 2020-21.

In the Budget, the Centre announced that it would provide 20% of equity and facilitate external assistance up to 60% of the project cost for the suburban rail network that is estimated to cost ₹18,600 crore. On Sunday, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said the 148-km rail network would be completed in three years.

In the Pink Book, the sanctioned cost for ‘Bengaluru Suburban - Construction of elevated/ at grade corridors for augmentation of line capacity’ is ₹11,546 crore. However, the amount allocated for 2020-21 is only ₹1 crore.

Transport expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar of the advocacy group Praja said since the project has been pending before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and there are no funds, it is likely to get delayed by another year. “We were hoping that the Union government will allocate more funds so that the project will be implemented soon. The government has neglected Bengaluru once again,” he said.

When contacted, a senior official of the SWR said the necessary approvals are yet to be received. “Once the DPR is approved, funds will be made available,” the official said.

Other works

According to a release by the South Western Railway, it has received a total budget grant of ₹2,701 crore, the highest grant after formation of the zone and with ₹786 crore expected to be deposited from Government of Karnataka towards newlines, railway overbridges, railway underbridges, the total grant will be ₹3495 crore.