Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Bengaluru required urgent rail-based solutions rather than tunnel-based road projects to tackle congestion and mobility challenges. He spoke at the flag-off of the SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus bi-weekly express on January 31 and said mass transit must provide extra capacity for people and cargo. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya welcomed the remarks after raising technical and environmental concerns about the proposed tunnel road project.

Vaishnaw said the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project was advancing along four corridors with alignment approvals, land acquisition, station construction, surveys and geotechnical work underway. He added that appointing technically competent leadership at Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise (KRIDE) had accelerated implementation and improved coordination. Ministry officials said schedules and deliverables were under regular review to maintain momentum. Officials said efforts were focused on strengthening mass public transport and aligning schedules with existing networks.

He said the suburban rail network would integrate the metro, airport, major stations and key IT hubs such as Electronic City, Hebbal and Whitefield and called it a game changer for the city's wider transport ecosystem. Vaishnaw virtually flagged off an express between Bengaluru and Mumbai and said long-pending demands in South and North Karnataka were being addressed. He added that the Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai was expected to begin soon. He emphasised that commuters and businesses would benefit from reduced travel times and improved connectivity.

Vaishnaw highlighted increased railway funding that had accelerated projects across Karnataka. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, sixty-one stations were being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 21.6 billion (bn), with nine already completed. Bengaluru Cantonment was being redeveloped at Rs 4.85 bn and Yeshwantpur at Rs 3.67 bn, according to ministry figures. He said these investments aimed to expand capacity, improve service quality and modernise passenger facilities.