Bengaluru: Rs 18,600 Crore Sub-Urban Rail Project May Reach Airport Ahead Of Namma Metro

In the recent budget presented on 1 February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the Bengaluru suburban rail project at a cost of Rs 18,600 crore.

As per the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprises’ (K-RIDE), a priority corridor of the Bengaluru suburban rail project to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is likely to be operational by August 2022, reports Times Of India.

If this plan is implemented within the set time line, it will help ease travel from city to the airport -as the suburban rail could provide cheaper and quicker connectivity to KIA.

On Sunday (02 February), the SPV, which is executing the suburban rail project, unveiled the 148km suburban rail project with four corridors: KSR Bengaluru City -Devanahalli, Byappanahalli-Chikkabanavara, Kengeri-Cantonment-Whitefield and Heelalige-Rajanukunte.

Incidentally, the Rs 10,584 crore Silk Board-KR Puram (ORR)-KIA Metro corridor project, which has not yet received centre’s approval, is scheduled to open only in 2024.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) invited tenders for the ORR line only recently in December and another one for KR Puram-KIA section tender could be floated by this month’s end.

It seems that at this rate the Metro’s deadline may further get delayed even after officials maintain that majority of the land acquisitions have been completed and soil testing is being done in the corridor.