Bengaluru Cantonment railway station to undergo two-phase makeover

Bengaluru, Dec 17: One of the oldest railways stations on the South Western Railway (SWR) network, Bengaluru Cantonment, is undergoing a substantive makeover, at a cost of Rs 525 crore to cater to the increased transportation needs of the city, railway authorities said on Friday.

The station which started operations in the 1860s will be developed in two phases with the entire project estimated to be completed by 2025. ''The upcoming structure will conserve the existing heritage elements of the historic building. The architectural elevation and facade attempts to capture the spirit of Bengaluru -- the silicon-city -- which breathes technology, without compromising the elements that make up its history, essence and heritage,'' the South Western Railway said in a statement.

In the first phase, the yard of the Cantonment station is being remodelled at a cost of Rs 45 crore. Two additional island platforms are being constructed. Effectively, four additional platforms will come up, the SWR authorities told news agency PTI.

Three additional lines, which would enable operation of increased number of trains to and from this station, will be laid to reduce the stress on Bengaluru City Railway station, the statement read. It added that the upgraded yard would be integrated with the quadrupled section between Bengaluru Cantonment and Whitefield.

''The yard will also be integrated with the suburban railway network for the facilitation of seamless mass transportation. Further, a foot overbridge is also being constructed which would connect Borebank Road to Netaji Road for the convenience of passengers/pedestrians,'' the SWR said.

The renovated Bengaluru Cantonment railway yard is targeted to be completed by February 2023, the statement said.

In the second phase, the station building will be redeveloped making Bengaluru Cantonment a world-class airport-like terminal at a cost of Rs 480 crore, which will be a fully air-conditioned 216-metre wide concourse. There will be segregated arrival and departure points to avoid congestion and a five-storey multi-level parking facility. There will also be a roof plaza over the platforms with earmarked space for commercial activities such as retail outlets, food courts and infotainment zone. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed by December 2025, it said.

The SWR added that the upgraded station will be a green building with rainwater harvesting system, energy-efficient LED lighting, sewage treatment plant and energy conservation systems. There will be seamless multi-modal integration with local public transport along with well-demarcated pick-up and drop zones.