Whitefield-Bangarapet third and fourth rail lines approved

The Whitefield-Bangarapet rail corridor is scheduled to expand from two lines to four by 2029-30 after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved its third and fourth lines.

The committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the 47km quadrupling project under the PM Gati Shakti national master plan. The additional tracks are intended to add capacity on the route linking Whitefield, Bangarapet and KGF.

The Whitefield-Bangarapet work is among five rail projects across southern states approved at a combined cost of Rs 10,021 crore. The package also includes doubling the 147km Hosur-Omalur route.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the five projects would add about 540km to the rail network across 17 districts in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Railways ministry said the added capacity would support freight movement, including coal, cement, iron and steel, containers, automobiles, food grains, petroleum products and fertilisers.

The Whitefield-Bangarapet section is scheduled for completion by 2029-30.