Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s choked airport corridor may finally see relief, with Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride) and Indian Railways clearing the long-pending suburban rail link to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) — a move that promises to ease the daily rush of nearly one lakh cars and taxis heading to KIA and cut travel time for both air passengers and residents in rapidly growing northern pockets.After years of delay,K-Ride and Indian Railways have reached a consensus on providing suburban rail connectivity to KIA. The airport rail link will be developed as part of the Majestic–Devanahalli corridor under the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).As per the agreed alignment, the airport line will branch off from the main corridor at Ballari Road, about 2km beyond the existing Doddajala heritage railway station. From this point, the alignment will turn right onto BK Halli Road and approach the airport from the south, then reach the terminal area.The dedicated airport spur will be 8.5km long, with two stations proposed along the route — one at BK Halli Road and another at Aerospace Park. Within the KIA complex, K-Ride will construct a 3.5km underground rail line, with provision for two airport stations. The terminal station is proposed near Taj Hotel and will be integrated with other public transport systems at the airport. In addition, a future station is planned within the airport complex, ahead of the terminal station, sources said.“The two stations proposed before entering the KIA campus are planned to cater to the future needs of the area. Rapid urbanisation is under way around the airport, with several industrial and residential pockets coming up. In addition to benefiting air passengers, the project will also address residents’ daily travel needs. Initially, there are plans to operate three-coach trains, with stations designed to handle nine-coach train sets in the future, in line with anticipated demand,” said an official.When BSRP was approved in 2020, K-Ride was mandated to prioritise the 41-km Majestic–Devanahalli corridor, including a rail link to KIA. However, the line was de-prioritised, allegedly following directions from the state govt to focus on other corridors to avoid competition with the Blue Line metro link proposed by BMRCL.Years passed, but neither agency delivered an airport rail link. BMRCL is yet to complete the 58-km Blue Line connecting Silk Board with KIA via KR Pura and Hebbal, while K-Ride did not take up the suburban rail airport link. As a result, nearly 1 lakh cars and taxis head to the airport every day, severely clogging city roads.Though BMRCL now plans to open the entire 58-km Blue Line by 2027, commuters remain sceptical about the deadline, citing the agency’s track record of delays in completing major metro projects on time.When asked about when K-Ride will take up the project, an official said, “K-Ride received clearance from the railways on Dec 17. Tenders for the airport line will be floated in phases after acquiring the required land.”The slow pace of work under BSRP came under the spotlight. Last year, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) terminated its contracts with K-Ride, alleging that the required land was not made available for construction. The development forced K-Ride to float fresh tenders for the Baiyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara corridor.When laying the foundation stone for the project in June 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a 40-month deadline for its completion. However, K-Ride could not open even a single corridor so far due to multiple factors.The delays were recently flagged at a Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (Pragati) meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, where instructions were issued to expedite the project. K-Ride has to go a long way in reviving two stalled projects — Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara, and Heelalige to Rajankunte — and floating tenders for two other corridors: Majestic to Devanahalli and Kengeri to Whitefield.GFXAirport rail link: At a Glance1. Alignment FinalisedAirport line branches off the Majestic–Devanahalli corridor at Ballari Road, about 2km past Doddajala station, before turning toward BK Halli Road.2. 8.5km dedicated airport spurTwo new stations planned on the spur:• BK Halli Road• Aerospace Park3. 3.5km underground section at KIARail line goes underground inside the airport campus, with provision for two stations, including one near the Taj Hotel.4. Designed for future demandStations planned for 9-coach trains, though the system will begin with 3-coach operations.5. Clearance received; Tenders nextK-Ride got Railways’ approval on Dec 17; tenders will be issued in phases after land acquisition.
