Railways Approves Rs 162.57 Crore Traction Upgrade on Bengaluru–Tumakuru Corridor

Indian Railways has approved the upgradation of the electric traction system on the Bengaluru–Tumakuru section of South Western Railway at a cost of ₹162.57 crore, aimed at enhancing rail capacity and operational efficiency on one of Karnataka’s busiest corridors.

The project involves converting the existing 1x25 kV electric traction system to a more advanced 2x25 kV system across 120 track kilometres.

The Bengaluru–Tumakuru route forms part of the strategically important Highly Utilized Network (HUN) Route-10, connecting major economic and industrial centres along the Pune–Hubballi–Chikjajur–Birur–Tumakuru–Bengaluru–Salem–Kanniyakumari corridor.

The 2x25 kV traction system is expected to support higher train densities, improve power availability, enhance operational reliability and facilitate smoother movement of both passenger and freight trains. The upgrade will also help accommodate future traffic growth and improve overall network efficiency on this critical railway section.

The project will contribute to decongesting a key rail route serving the Bengaluru metropolitan region and adjoining districts, while also supporting smoother movement of passenger and freight traffic across Karnataka and southern India. The enhancement aligns with Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to modernise its electrical infrastructure, increase network capacity and improve operational performance on high-density corridors.