A new railway line connecting Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to Bengaluru will soon be constructed, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday, February 15. The 7.9 km-long stretch between Doddajala and KIA will feature three stations, with 6.25 km of the route elevated and 1.65 km underground.
Speaking at a media interaction in the Bengaluru party office, Vaishnaw highlighted the need for an additional railway link to the airport, stating, “The last time I came to Bengaluru, I took the train from the airport to the city centre and realised the huge potential of enabling this connectivity. There were a few technical concerns, including the need for a rail flyover at some point on the route. They showed me the concept today, it will again bring a huge relief to the people.”
Bengaluru airport, operational since 2008, is located approximately 35 km from the city centre. At present, its nearest railway station, KIA Halt, is situated 3.5 km from the terminal. Built by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) for around Rs 3 crore, this station was inaugurated in January 2021 to serve the 28,000 airport employees and other passengers.
Free shuttle bus services currently link the halt station with the terminal, but the limited rail services on the Yelahanka–Devanahalli single track route have resulted in poor commuter turnout.
The new railway link, once operational, will complement the existing metro and suburban rail connectivity to KIA. The KR Pura - KIA (Blue Line) metro corridor is under construction, while the Bengaluru suburban rail project, executed by Rail Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), is yet to finalise tenders for civil work on the Sampige Line (KSR Bengaluru - Yelahanka - Devanahalli).
Vaishnaw also addressed concerns over delays in the suburban railway project, attributing them to the lack of technical expertise within K-RIDE. "Each time I review the progress of the K-RIDE project, the major issue is the shortage of technically qualified personnel," he said.
He also criticised the state government’s handling of the project, stressing the need for a full-time managing director from the railway technical cadre. "Without this, progress will be slow. I will request the state government to appoint a qualified MD and at least 12-13 technical personnel in key areas such as electrical engineering, civil engineering, and signalling," he added.
The Minister also highlighted issues with suburban train procurement, revealing that tenders for train sets had failed three times. "Railways is a highly technical field. Since K-RIDE is state-run, the tender was structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which does not work well in the railway sector," he explained. To expedite the project, Vaishnaw proposed that the Indian Railways supply the trains for Bengaluru’s suburban rail system.
Meanwhile, a major stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night took the life of at least 18 pilgrims headed to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.