Rail track-doubling work on three sections faces hurdles

BENGALURU: South Western Railway’s track-doubling work in three sections appears to have run into several problems.
While doubling work on Toranagallu-Ranjitpura (22.9km) is awaiting the railway board’s sanction, the Birur-Shivamogga (60km) section has been frozen by the board. The Penukonda-Dharmavaram (41.5km) stretch, for which tender was finalised for earthwork, minor bridges and overbridges, will be handed over to RITES Ltd, a government-owned engineering consultancy firm as per railways’ instructions.

“We have submitted estimates for the Toranagallu-Ranjitpura section.But work is held up for want of the board’s sanction. The railways has also recommended freezing of Birur-Shivamogga section. The tender for Penukonda-Dharmavaram section was recently opened, but now the project will be handed over to RITES,” said a senior SWR official.
NS Pradeep Kumar, a rail enthusiast, said: “Toranagallu-Ranjitpura freight section will help in faster movement of iron ore to ports. Doubling of Birur-Shivamogga will bring more trains from Shivamogga to various parts of the state.”
Currently, doubling work is progressing on Hotgi-Kudgi-Gadag (30%), Yelahanka-Penukonda (60%), Hubballi-Chikjajur (45%) and Arasikere-Tumakuru (65%) routes. In a relief for Bengalureans, detailed estimates for Yeshwantpur-Channasandra (21.7km) doubling work will be finalised and tender will be floated soon.
“We have floated a tender for the doubling work on Byappanahalli-Hosur (48km). Similarly, tender for the Bengaluru Cantonment-KR Puram-Whitefield (23.1km) quadrupling project is also being invited,” the official added.