Bengaluru suburban rail’s Whitefield-Kengeri corridor likely to be dropped

The Parijatha Line, a proposed 35-km corridor connecting Whitefield to Kengeri under Bengaluru’s suburban rail project, is likely to be shelved due to its overlap with Namma Metro’s Purple Line. The metro line, spanning 43 km, already links Whitefield in the east to Challaghatta in the west, raising concerns about redundancy.

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At a recent meeting led by Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna and Karnataka Minister for Commerce and Industries M.B. Patil, officials reportedly decided to drop the Whitefield-Kengeri corridor. Instead, alternative routes to enhance suburban rail connectivity are under consideration, including Chikkabanavara to Tumakuru via Dobbaspet, Chikkabanavara to Magadi, and Rajanukunte to Gauribidanur via Doddaballapur. These routes aim to improve access to Bengaluru’s outskirts and support emerging hubs such as the Knowledge, Wellbeing, and Innovation (KWIN) City in Doddaballapur and Nelamangala.

The suburban rail project, approved in 2020, includes four corridors spanning 148 km. Construction is underway on the Mallige Line (24 km) and Kanaka Line (46 km), while the Sampige Line (41 km) is in the tendering stage.

K-RIDE, the agency overseeing the project, opposes scrapping the Parijatha Line. It has proposed a double-decker flyover with an elevated suburban rail corridor and a road deck from KSR Bengaluru to Kengeri.

Experts highlight the need for diverse transit options, noting that suburban rail offers faster, cost-effective long-distance connectivity compared to the metro.