Indian Railways to launch Bengaluru city-Airport train: Ashwini Vaishnaw
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Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Bengaluru: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday that Indian Railways will introduce a train connectivity option between Kempegowda International Airport and Bengaluru city, in addition to the existing road, metro, and suburban railway services provided by the state government. He stated that while technical challenges remain, the Railway team is actively working to resolve them.
Speaking to reporters, Vaishnaw highlighted that Bengaluru airport is currently accessible via Metro Rail, road, and the suburban railway project overseen by the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) (K-RIDE). K-RIDE, a joint venture between the Centre and the state, is under construction and aims to enhance urban rail connectivity.
“Apart from Metro Rail, road, and K-RIDE, we are also working on introducing a railway connectivity option to the airport,” Vaishnaw said. Recalling his last visit, he mentioned traveling by train from the airport to the city and described it as a comfortable 40 to 45-minute ride. However, he pointed out technical challenges, particularly the need to construct a rail flyover. “The team has now completed the necessary work and presented the concept to me today. I will share it with you soon. This will bring significant relief to the people,” he said.
Criticizing the state government's execution of the suburban railway project, Vaishnaw remarked that it lacked technical expertise, including a full-time Managing Director from the Railway technical cadre. He stressed the importance of expanding metro and suburban rail networks in Bengaluru, a city with a population of 1.5 crore. “It's a very large city, and we need to rapidly expand metro and suburban rail networks. The state and Centre must work in a synchronized manner,” he emphasized.
During his visits, Vaishnaw reviewed the progress of the K-RIDE suburban railway project and noted that the major challenge has been the lack of technical personnel. “Each time, the major challenge has been the lack of technical personnel. I will request the state government to appoint a full-time MD from the Railway technical cadre. Without this, progress will be slow,” he stated. Expressing disappointment with the project's execution, he noted, “It is truly concerning that the state government's execution of this project is not meeting public expectations. The people have high hopes, and to fulfill them, we need a strong technical team.”
Apart from appointing a full-time MD from the railway cadre, he emphasized the urgent need for at least 12 to 13 technically qualified personnel in electrical engineering, civil engineering, and signaling. “We will submit a proposal to the state government. If they agree, we will depute railway officials to K-RIDE to expedite the project,” he said. He further stated that the Centre is already providing financial support, so funding should not be a constraint.
Another major hurdle in the suburban railway project has been the repeated failure of tenders for train sets (rolling stock). “The tenders have failed three times. After a detailed review this morning, we are now proposing that Indian Railways itself will supply trains for the Bengaluru suburban rail project,” Vaishnaw announced.
He also criticized the way K-RIDE structured tenders for train procurement, stating that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model adopted by the state government was ineffective. “Railways is a highly technical field. Since K-RIDE is controlled by the state government, they structured the tender as a PPP project, where a private entity would supply trains and receive payments over several years. This model does not work in the metro and railway sectors,” he pointed out.
Regarding the proposed circular rail project for Bengaluru, he confirmed that the concept has now been finalized. “Bengaluru is connected to the city by seven railway spokes. About a year and a half ago, we introduced the idea of a circular rail network,” he explained.
Addressing concerns over metro train manufacturing, Vaishnaw said that while it does not fall directly under the Railway Ministry’s jurisdiction, efforts will be made to ensure Bengaluru receives quality metro infrastructure. “Our priority is to provide the best facilities to the people of Bengaluru. We should not get caught up in whether a particular project falls under the state or Centre’s domain,” he concluded.
With PTI inputs