Bengaluru Cantonment, one of the oldest railway stations in the South Western Railway (SWR) network, is undergoing a significant facelift to meet the growing transportation needs of the Silicon City, informed a statement by the Indian Railways. . The project is being executed in EPC (Engineering-Procurement-Construction) mode, i.e. on ‘turnkey’ basis. Thus, a single agency is responsible for planning, procurement and execution of all aspects of the project. The target date of completion is 36 months. The LOA has been granted on December 12, 2022 in favor of M/s Varindra Construction Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
In the first phase, the yard at Bengaluru Cantt station is being remodeled at a cost of Rs 45 crore, two additional island platforms are being constructed (effectively, four additional platforms will come), and 3 additional lines which This enables the operation of increased number of trains to/from this station and decongests the KSR Bengaluru station.
The reconstructed yard will be integrated with the quadruple section between Bengaluru Cantt and Whitefield. The yard will also be integrated with the suburban railway network to facilitate seamless mass transit.
Columns of Growth: A glimpse of the proposed design of the redeveloped Bengaluru Cantt. railway station. pic.twitter.com/hSML39AntB— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 24, 2022
In addition, a foot over bridge is being constructed, which will connect Burbank Road with Netaji Road for the convenience of commuters. The remodeling of Bengaluru Cantt Railway Yard is targeted to be completed by February 2023.
In the second phase, the station building will be redeveloped, making Bengaluru Cantt a world-class airport-like terminal at a cost of Rs 480 crore. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision, the station will be redeveloped as a ‘city-centre’ where- apart from the movement of transport; The space will be full of commercial activities 24 x 7.
The upcoming structure will preserve the existing heritage elements of the historic building. The architectural upgrade attempts to capture the spirit of Bengaluru, the start-up capital of India, which breathes technology without compromising on the elements that make up its history, essence and heritage.
The façade will depict concepts like sine waves on the roof to depict the concept of speed/progress with the help of technology (Bengaluru, as the silicon city of India, acts as a catalyst for the nation’s progress/development), support The pillars forming the roof are in the shape of a flower at the point where they join the roof, indicating Bengaluru as a ‘garden city’
Furthermore, the horizontal structure connecting the various pillars is in the shape of a flute signifying ‘Harmony’: the harmonious blend of technology in Garden City or the harmonious blend of development with the concept of preserving the beauty of Garden City.
Cantt Station Road is being shifted away from the station (to improve space for traffic movement in front of the station) and widened (from 15 m to 24 m) in collaboration with BBMP. Increase in road traffic (including pick-up and drop) in the coming days as the number of trains will increase with the introduction of additional platforms and suburban train services in the coming days.
The station began operations in the 1860s with the start of rail services on the Bangalore Cantt-Jolarpettai line. More than 150 years later, the redeveloped building would emerge as an icon of urban Bengaluru. It is worth mentioning that on June 20, 2020, PM Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of this station.
(With ANI inputs)