Bengaluru suburban rail deadline extended from October 2026 to March 2030

Bengaluru suburban rail project

• Bengaluru suburban rail project delayed to March 2030 from October 2026
• PM Modi expressed displeasure over delays and called for accountability
• Land acquisition and coach procurement remain key hurdles for project completion

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Bengaluru’s ambitious 148-km suburban rail project, approved in 2020 and originally scheduled for completion by October 2026, has now been extended to March 2030, sources told Moneycontrol.

Sources said K-RIDE (Rail Infrastructure Development Company [Karnataka] Limited), the implementing agency, presented revised corridor-wise timelines at a recent PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also, read: Bengaluru suburban rail to get full-time MD after 3 years; Lakshman Singh's name get Centre's nod

Under the revised schedule, the 25-km Mallige Line (Benniganahalli-Chikkabanavara) is targeted for completion by December 2028, while 46-km Kanaka Line (Heelalige-Rajanakunte) has a revised deadline of June 2029. The remaining two corridors:  41-km Sampige Line (KSR Bengaluru City-Yelahanka-Devanahalli) and 35-km Parijata Line (Kengeri-Whitefield) - are now scheduled for completion by March 2030.

PM Modi flags delay, seeks accountability

The long-pending project, first proposed in 1983, was reviewed by Prime Minister Modi at the PRAGATI meeting, where he expressed strong displeasure over the 41-month delay. While laying the foundation stone for the project in 2022, Modi had said the 148-km network would be completed within 40 months.

While sanctioning the project, the Centre had stated that the Sampige Line (airport corridor) should be completed within three years. However, the state government had reportedly asked K-RIDE to take up this corridor at a later stage, as it runs parallel to Namma Metro’s airport line, citing concerns that it could affect the availability of foreign aid for both projects. Subsequently, K-RIDE said it would operationalise the priority section of the Mallige Line (Chikkabanavara–Yeshwantpur) by December 2025, but missed the deadline.

Also, read: Bengaluru suburban rail: Agency invites tender for station work on 'priority section'

Sources said Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development Department) Tushar Giri Nath and K-RIDE Managing Director Lakshman Singh attended the PRAGATI meeting held on December 31. A senior official present at the meeting told Moneycontrol that a visibly irate PM sought detailed explanations for the delay and reportedly instructed Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan to direct Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to examine losses arising from the delay and fix responsibility.

Also, read: Bengaluru suburban rail: After L&T’s exit, K-RIDE floats fresh civil work tenders for Benniganahalli-Chikkabanawara corridor

“PM Modi told officials that Bengaluru suburban rail is a nationally important project and must be expedited, as it is critical to easing traffic congestion in the tech capital,” the official said.

Railways clear Sampige Line alignment

Sources said South Western Railway approved the revised alignment of 41-km Sampige Line (KSR Bengaluru City-Yelahanka-Devanahalli) via BK Halli and Aerospace Park, which had been pending for more than two years, just hours before the PRAGATI meeting. Sampige Line will run parallel to existing Indian Railways tracks between KSR Bengaluru City and Devanahalli, branching off near the Trumpet Interchange and passing through BK Halli and the Aerospace Park.

Land acquisition remains a bottleneck

K-RIDE officials told Moneycontrol that land acquisition for the entire Kanaka Line has been completed. For Mallige Line, Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has assured that the remaining land acquisition will be completed by the end of January. “We will soon request Indian Railways to hand over the land required for the Sampige Line. Land acquisition for the Parijata Line will be initiated thereafter,” a K-RIDE official said.

Another senior official remarked, “Had the state shown even 20 percent of the urgency it is displaying for the tunnel road project, the suburban rail project would have been on track long ago.”

Rolling stock procurement faces hurdles

K-RIDE had initially planned to induct trainsets through a lease model but received no response from private players. The agency has now decided to procure metro-like, air-conditioned coaches from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.

Also, read: As lease model fails, Karnataka clears proposal to buy coaches for Bengaluru suburban rail

Sources said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during his visit to Bengaluru in February 2025, advised K-RIDE to source coaches directly from ICF to expedite delivery. Since the coaches are being procured without a competitive tender, K-RIDE will need a tender exemption under Section 4(g) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act.

In November 2024, the Karnataka cabinet approved the state’s 50 percent share of Rs 2,135 crore towards the procurement of 306 coaches. The total rolling stock cost is estimated at Rs 4,300 crore, with the remaining 50 percent to be borne by the Union government.

“The proposal seeking Section 4(g) exemption is still pending with state finance department. Even if we place the order with ICF now, it will take at least two years to supply the trainsets, followed by mandatory testing, which could further push timelines,” an official said.

Also, read: ICF likely to supply Metro-like AC coaches for Bengaluru suburban rail

Mallige Line tenders may open on January 22

After L&T exited civil works contracts for the 25-km Mallige Line and 46-km Kanaka Line in March 2025, K-RIDE floated fresh tenders for the Mallige Line on November 4. The civil works have been split into three packages. “We have invited bids in three packages. The first package will be opened on January 22, while the remaining two will be opened after about 15 days,” sources said.

K-RIDE MD strikes optimistic note

In his New Year message, K-RIDE MD Lakshman Singh said the suburban rail corridors, including the airport link, are critical enablers of sustainable urban growth, improved connectivity and economic development. “As Bengaluru continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, our responsibility goes far beyond creating rail assets. K-RIDE’s mandate is to build public, institutional and governmental trust and set benchmarks for future projects,” he said.

He added that the agency is committed to overcoming delays and delivering a reliable, efficient and sustainable suburban rail system that significantly enhances the quality of life for Bengaluru’s citizens.

Also, read: Two Bengaluru suburban rail corridors to be ready by Dec 2026: Railways MoS V Somanna