Integrated suburban rlwy network plan for Bengaluru ready:

Railways Minister Piyush Goyal today said an integrated suburban railway network plan is ready for implementation in Bengaluru provided the Karnataka government agrees to give "land parcels" around the railway stations.

Speaking to reporters, Goyal said last year in September he had commissioned a survey by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) for the suburban railway in Bengaluru.

With the help of ISRO, it prepared a possible plan for suburban Railways networking with the other modes of public transport such as metro rail and buses, the minister said.

Under the proposal, Bengaluru and other stations associated will be developed by the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation.

As per the plan, common stations for interchanges with the Metro Rail and Airport will be developed for people to connect to their mode of transport for their further journey.

"We are working on a comprehensive plan towards connecting Whitefield with Electronic City," he said.

"A comprehensive and holistic suburban network has been planned for Bengaluru. Action has been taken to table the proposal before the finance (ministry) and Railway Board. I am confident that we will take the proposal to its logical end," Goyal said.

If the state government sanctions "land parcels" around railway stations under the Transit Oriented Development (TOD), the Railways is ready to develop the suburban railways at a partnership of 50-50 with the state government, he said.

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananthkumar said the survey by RITES show that suburban railway will have 35 lakh ridership per day.

"It will be a great boon for off-loading the dense traffic, which is already on the road. Bengaluru has 60 lakh vehicles. That traffic has to be removed from the road and suburban is the only way forward," Ananthkumar said.

(This article has not been edited by Zeebiz editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)