After L&T Exit, K-RIDE Invites Fresh Bids To Revive Bengaluru’s Long-Delayed Suburban Rail Project

The Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) has hit yet another setback after contractor Larsen & Toubro (L&T) withdrew from key corridor contracts, prompting Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd (K-RIDE) to issue fresh tenders for Corridor-2, also known as the Mallige Line, the Hindustan Times reported.

In a statement on Tuesday (4 November), K-RIDE said the decision came after the “unilateral and illegal” termination of contracts by L&T.

The Rs 15,767-crore suburban rail project, spanning 148 km across four corridors, has already faced delays due to land, coordination, and contractual hurdles.

Under the new tender process, Package-1 of Corridor-2 involves the design and construction of a 7.795 km elevated viaduct with ramps between Benniganahalli and Shettihalli.

According to the report, it also includes a 1.20 km double-decked viaduct between Lottegollahalli and Yeshwanthpur, covering Mattikere and Benniganahalli stations, with an 18-month completion target.

Earlier this year, L&T terminated contracts for Corridors 2 and 4, citing delays in land handover and other operational constraints.

The move added to the growing uncertainty surrounding the long-pending project, which aims to provide a mass rapid transit alternative to Bengaluru’s congested roads.

K-RIDE has now divided the remaining works into three separate packages and plans to float tenders shortly.

The new bids are critical to sustain the momentum of the Bengaluru Suburban Transport Project (BSTP) and ensure the project’s goal of easing urban traffic pressure through improved rail connectivity.

The agency continues to grapple with legal disputes, arbitration with L&T, and land acquisition issues while coordinating with multiple departments to bring the long-delayed suburban rail system back on track.

The Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) is a joint initiative of the Government of Karnataka and the Ministry of Railways, executed through a special purpose vehicle, the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company Limited (K-RIDE).

It holds the distinction of being India’s first railway project implemented under the National Suburban Rail Policy, 2018.

Designed to offer a dependable and efficient public transport system, the project seeks to ease Bengaluru’s severe traffic congestion and strengthen connectivity between the city and its expanding suburban areas.

The suburban rail network comprises four corridors spanning 147 km and encompassing 57 stations.

With Bengaluru’s vehicle count now exceeding one crore, the project is projected to decongest city roads by shifting nearly 10 lakh commuters from private vehicles to public rail transport.

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