A new railway link will soon connect Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to Bengaluru, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on February 15.
"The new line between Doddajala and KIA will be 7.9 km long and will have three stations," Vaishnaw told reporters during a media interaction on Saturday.
Of the 7.9 km stretch, 6.25 km will be elevated, while the remaining 1.65 km will be underground.
With this new railway line to the airport terminal, Bengaluru airport will be connected by three railway lines in addition to Metro and suburban rail.
"One more option we are creating is the railway connectivity to the Airport. When I came here last time, I traveled by train from airport to the city centre and I realised the huge potential of doing this connectivity. There were a few technical glitches because at some point we had to create a rail flyover. They showed me the concept today... that will again bring a big relief to the people," Vaishnaw further added.
While Metro’s KR Pura–KIA (Blue Line) work is on, K-RIDE, which is executing the Bengaluru suburban rail project, is yet to finalise the civil work tenders for the Sampige Line (KSR Bengaluru–Yelahanka–Devanahalli).
At present, the nearest Indian railway station is - KIA halt - located 3.5 km from the airport terminal, built by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) at a cost of around Rs 3 crore and was inaugurated on January 4, 2021.
It was aimed at serving 28,000 airport employees as well as passengers. BIAL also operates free shuttle bus services between the station and the terminal in sync with train schedules.
However, since the railways now operate only skeletal train services on this single-track route (Yelahanka–Devanahalli), it has received poor patronage.
The Bengaluru Airport is about 35 kilometers from the city center and this new facility, once operational, will provide relief to commuters.
Bengaluru Airport, operational since 2008, is about 35 kilometers from the city center and this new facility, once operational, will provide relief to commuters.
Bengaluru's Growing Airport Passengers
Reflecting the city's economic growth, Bengaluru Airport has achieved a record 40 million traffic in 2024. Elevating its status to a ‘large airport’ globally, in line with the Airports Council International’s (ACI) categorisation for airports with over 40 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA).
In 2024, Bengaluru airport welcomed 40.73 million passengers, compared to 37.2 million in 2023. The highest number of passengers in a single day was recorded on October 20, 2024, with 1.26 lakh passengers passing through the airport.
To address the high demand, the Karnataka government has shortlisted three sites for Bengaluru's second airport, even as Congress ministers lobby for their respective home districts.
Moneycontrol reported, on February 4, that three potential sites— Bidadi (Mysuru Road), Harohalli (Kanakapura Road), and Solur (located between Nelamangala and Kunigal)—have been shortlisted.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of BIAL, broke ground for its ambitious 2 million sq ft business park, aimed at establishing Bengaluru as a global hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
This comes as part of the Karnataka government’s new GCC policy (2024-2029), which seeks to create 3.5 lakh jobs and contribute $50 billion to the economy.
“Located within the larger Kempegowda International Airport’s campus, Bengaluru Airport city is being developed as a world-class mixed-use destination, featuring business parks, an education & health district, R&D Hubs, and multiple entertainment and hospitality options. Airport Cty is set to serve as an international gateway for sustainable, smart, and vibrant urban development” said a statement from BIAL on October 14.
Other Developments
Vaishnaw announced that overall Rs 30,000 crore has been allocated to suburban railways and metro to decongest the city, divided in half for each department.
He also added that the Indian railways will reconstruct 61 stations in Karnataka. These stations span across the state, along with Bengaluru's Whitefield, Yeshwanthpur Junction, and cantonment.
Sharing an anecdote, Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had rejected an earlier design, saying this will not hold 50 years from now.
"We went back to the drawing board and reworked the project," Vaishnaw added.
He said his ministry is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to decongest Bengaluru, which should be ready soon.
In four years, Bengaluru will handle 400 trains daily on an average, double that of today.
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