Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project completion deadline extended to March 2030

Bengaluru, India (Metro Rail Today): The completion timeline of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), a long-awaited initiative aimed at easing congestion across the city and its outskirts, has been extended by more than three years. The revised target for full completion is now March 2030, compared to the original deadline of October 2026.

The updated schedule was shared during a Citizens’ Stakeholders’ Outreach Programme organised by Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE). The meeting brought together resident welfare associations, non-governmental organisations, and civil society representatives to discuss project progress and implementation challenges. During the interaction, K-RIDE presented a revised corridor-wise timeline for execution.

Sources indicated that the updated deadlines were finalised following a recent PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) review chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Participants at the outreach programme expressed concern over the delay, noting that the project has already been pending for decades. In June 2022, Prime Minister Modi had stated that the project, which had been under discussion for nearly 40 years, would be completed within 40 months.

Under the revised implementation plan, Corridor 2 is expected to be the first to be completed. This corridor includes the 7.4 km Chikkabanavara–Yeshwantpur stretch and the 17.5 km Yeshwantpur–Bennigenahalli section, with commissioning targeted for December 2028. Corridor 4, comprising the 24.6 km Bennigenahalli–Rajanukunte section and the 22.5 km Heelalige–Bennigenahalli stretch, is now scheduled for completion by June 2029.

The longest timelines apply to Corridor 1 and Corridor 3. Corridor 1 covers the 17.7 km Bengaluru City–Yelahanka stretch and the 29.5 km Yelahanka–Devanahalli section, including the airport extension. Corridor 3 includes the 16.9 km Kengeri–Bangalore Cantonment stretch. Both corridors are now slated for completion by March 2030.

The BSRP was sanctioned in October 2020 after prolonged deliberations and is envisioned as a high-capacity commuter rail system designed to carry nearly 20 lakh passengers daily. The project proposes nine-coach, air-conditioned trains operating at frequencies ranging from five to 12 minutes across four corridors spanning 148 km and serving 58 stations. Corridor 1, linking Majestic with Kempegowda International Airport, was initially prioritised and targeted for completion by October 2023 before the deadline was revised to October 2026 and now further extended.

The project remains a critical component of Bengaluru’s long-term mobility strategy, aimed at reducing road congestion, improving suburban connectivity, and integrating with the city’s expanding metro and bus networks.

With corridor-wise milestones now defined, stakeholders will be closely tracking progress as Bengaluru works toward establishing a robust suburban rail backbone by 2030.