Budget 2022: Govt allocates Rs 450 cr for Karnataka’s suburban rail

The Union Budget 2022- 23 has brought relief to Karnataka as the Center has allocated Rs 450 crore for the 148 km suburban rail projects in Karnataka.

The Pink Book of the railways, having detailed budget allotments of all projects, was released on Wednesday. In the case of the suburban rail project (2022-23), the budget fixed capital was at Rs 450 crore (capital expenditure- Rs 3,242 crore).

In October 2020, the Center approved the 148 km suburban rail worth Rs 15,657 crore that is still on paper. Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE), responsible for the execution of the project, floated tenders for only one corridor (Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur-Chikkabanavara), out of the total four corridors.

Funds were allocated for several projects like the doubling of Byappanahalli- Hosur having a length of 48km and Yeshwantpur-Channasandra having a length of 22 km. Also for Bengaluru Cantonment and Whitefield quadrupling. Railways were allocated funds for new lines that include Rayadurga-Tumakuru, Gadag-Wadi, Belagavi-Dharwad, Shivamogga-Ranebennur, and Kudachi-Bagalkot.

Activist Sanjeev Dyamannavar said that they are disappointed that no funds are allocated for new projects including Yeshwanthpur second terminal, Cantonment suburban rail terminal, and automatic signaling system for different sections in Bengaluru.

Rail enthusiast Abhishek R said that the amount allocated for suburban rail is the proposed outlay. If the project is not started on the ground soon, the amount will not be carried forward. Another activist, Pruthvin Reddy, said there was no improvement in the railway budget for the state of Karnataka as 4,458 crore is allocated in 2022-2023 in comparison with Rs 4,468 crore in 2021-2022.

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