Bengaluru: In big relief for commuters heading towards Hosur, two 61-metre girders were launched above National Highway 44 in Chandapura Wednesday. This development, part of the much-delayed 48km Byappanahalli-Hosur rail doubling project, is expected to remove bottlenecks slowing the traffic on the busy arterial road in the tech corridor.Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka), or K-Ride, the implementing agency of the project, claimed that the girder was a major engineering milestone. The first girder was launched on Oct 10.K-RIDE managing director Lakshman Singh stated the Anekal-Heelalige line will be commissioned before Feb 2027.The pier in the middle of the road, which had constricted traffic movement to a trickle, is also expected to be moved out along with temporary structures dotting the construction site.The twin girders are said to be the longest in a railway doubling project in Bengaluru. The structure is designed to accommodate two railway lines on a common substructure as per the design.The new structure eliminates the need for an intermediate pier which currently exists within the highway span. “The unobstructed highway span will accommodate the planned highway configuration without an intermediate pier within the carriageway. Together, these improvements will strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate transport and logistics, support industrial and commercial growth, and meet increasing mobility demands along the Bengaluru–Hosur corridor“, K-Ride said in a statement.Following completion of the associated railway works, demolition of the existing bridge and much-awaited highway improvements can be taken up. The full completion of doubling will enhance rail capacity and operational flexibility for passenger and freight services along the Bengaluru–Hosur corridor.
