Bengaluru: The ambitious Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), which aims to provide a fast and efficient transport system for the city and its suburbs, is facing a delay of nearly three and a half years due to a political tussle between the state and the central governments.
The BSRP, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, was supposed to be completed in 40 months by July 2025. However, the project has been stalled by various issues, such as land acquisition, funding, and coordination between the Karnataka government and the Ministry of Railways.
The project is being implemented by K-RIDE (Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed by the state and the central governments. However, the SPV has been accused of being inefficient and bureaucratic by some political leaders, who have demanded that the project be taken over by the Ministry of Railways.
One of them is Tejasvi Surya, the BJP MP from South Bengaluru, who has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the progress of the BSRP. In a conversation with media, Surya said that the Ministry of Railways can take up the project from the Karnataka government and fulfill the target of completing it in 40 months, as promised by Modi. He also presented a 10-year report on the Modi government’s implementation of flagship schemes in Bengaluru.
Surya’s statement has sparked a controversy, as the Karnataka government has defended the role of K-RIDE and claimed that the project is on track. Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil, who is also the chairman of K-RIDE, said that the works on all four corridors of the BSRP will be completed by December 2027, an extension of nearly three and a half years from the original deadline. He said that the delay was due to various factors, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, land acquisition hurdles, and environmental clearances.
Patil also said that the project has received financial support from various sources, such as the KfW Development Bank of Germany, which has agreed to lend Euro 500 million (Rs 4,552 crore) for the project. He said that the state government has also allocated Rs 2,479 crore for the project in the 2024-25 budget.
The BSRP, which will span 149.348 km, will have four corridors connecting key residential and commercial areas of the city. The project will have 64 stations, ensuring easy access for commuters across the city. The project is expected to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity within Bengaluru significantly. The project also promises to be a more affordable and environmentally friendly alternative to road transport.
The BSRP has the potential to revolutionize commuting in Bengaluru, offering a faster, more comfortable, and convenient transport system for the city and its suburbs. However, the project needs to overcome the political and administrative hurdles that have hampered its progress so far. The project also needs to ensure timely and quality execution, as well as proper integration with other modes of transport, such as the metro, the bus, and the airport. Only then can the BSRP fulfill its vision of transforming the city’s transportation landscape and boosting its economic growth and overall quality of life.
