After two years of delays, Goripalya-Hosahalli railway bridge finally opens in West Bengaluru

Long-pending railway bridge project, delayed by technical hurdles and cost escalation, is now complete, easing daily travel woes for residents of Goripalya, Hosahalli and nearby areas.

After close to two years of delays and prolonged inconvenience to the public, the Goripalya-Hosahalli railway bridge in west Bengaluru has finally been constructed, offering much-needed relief to thousands of daily commuters who rely on this key connectivity route.

Railway authorities decided to take up the reconstruction after determining that the old bridge had weakened significantly and had exceeded its safe usable life. Officials concluded that repair was not feasible, making a complete rebuild unavoidable.

According to a senior railway official, the tender for the project was floated in 2023, with the original estimated cost pegged at around ₹6 crore. The tender mandated an 18-month completion timeline. However, soon after work commenced, several unforeseen technical and administrative challenges delayed progress.

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According to reports, the work order was issued on January 5, 2023. During demolition, the team discovered unauthorised live electricity cables running beneath the bridge. These Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB) cables were supplying power from Vijayanagar to Goripalya and were not officially recorded earlier. Since the railways had not granted permission to handle these lines, approvals had to be secured and nine new power lines laid, a process that consumed nearly eight months.

Due to this, the road was closed about six months after January 2023, while actual construction could begin only in early 2024. Demolition itself was completed within three weeks, followed by phased construction of the new bridge.

The project also included around 200 metres of approach roads, concrete road stretches on the Vijayanagar side, kerb installation and the setting up of 20 streetlights, all executed by the railways. Because of added work and extended timelines, the final project cost rose to approximately ₹12 crore.

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Throughout the construction period, residents of Goripalya, Hosahalli and surrounding localities endured severe disruption. Commuters were forced to take long detours, traffic congestion worsened during peak hours, and schoolchildren and working professionals were among those most affected.