Bengaluru-Suburban Rail Project can be executed faster by Railways: Vaishnaw

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday (March 9) said that the Indian Railways can expedite the implementation of the Bengaluru-Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) more efficiently than the Karnataka state government.

He pointed out the technical complexity of the project, emphasising that the Railways' expertise could accelerate its execution. He stressed that this viewpoint was independent of political considerations. Vaishnaw compared the situation to Delhi's Metro development. The minister credited technical expertise for its rapid progress.

During the launch event of India’s fastest indigenous IP/MPLS Router at Nivetti System Campus in Bengaluru, Vaishnaw harped on the evolving landscape of manufacturing, stressing the importance of innovation, software, and design capabilities to elevate India as a global manufacturing powerhouse alongside its established service sector.

“It is not the question of somebody taking over (BSRP) or not taking over. The real challenge is this (project) is a very technology-intensive project which requires technical depth. I believe if Railways takes it, the project will be executed much faster. I am saying this absolutely beyond politics,” he told Indian Express.

"The reason why Delhi was able to build Metro at a faster pace is because you had people like Sreedharan who had technical expertise. It all depends on the state government. If the state government is willing, we can start discussions. At the end of the day, the city belongs to everybody, where the state, Centre and the city’s residents come together for the welfare of Bengaluru. Ultimately, the people of Bengaluru should benefit," he added.

Regarding the BSRP, Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil recently announced a revised completion timeline, extending it to December 2027 from the initially promised 40 months.

Vaishnaw mentioned that Railways has received the first stage approval for the 287-km circular railway network in Bengaluru, aiming to enhance local train services, alleviate traffic congestion, and complement existing transport infrastructure.

The proposed circular railway network, expected to be India's largest, will link various outskirts of Bengaluru, augmenting rail capacity and easing existing network bottlenecks.

South Western Railway (SWR) officials are nearing completion of the final location survey, after which they will submit a detailed project report (DPR) to the Railway Board for approval.