Karnataka may revive plans to link high speed rail to B’luru airport

The Karnataka government is likely to revive high-speed rail link plans from the city center to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government has plans to connect KIA with the city center with a high-speed train. KIA will be a unique airport joined with three railway lines. Earlier, the government had considered high-speed rail connectivity to the airport from MG Road in 2008. Delhi Metro rail corporation (DMRC) presented a detailed project report (DPR) for the service that was guaranteed to cover 33 km in 25 minutes at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. The project was shelved due to high cost and land acquisition problems. Bengaluru metro rail corporation (BMRCL) officials are not aware of any plans to revive the high-speed rail link project. In October, BMRCL is anticipated to finalise the tender for the KR Puram-KIA Metro corridor. The KSR Bengaluru city-Yelahanka-Devanahalli corridor of suburban rail will be taken up only in the next phase, which got the Union cabinet’s nod last year. Last year, Virgin Hyperloop and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which runs KIA, inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct a feasibility test for a hyperloop corridor from the airport to the city. Activists are not convinced with the idea of high-speed connectivity. Rail activist Sanjeev Dyamannavar said that it is not financially viable to operate such a rail link. Metro has already obtained the land designated for high-speed rail projects from Hebbal to the airport. Meanwhile, Bommai said he would closely observe the status of key projects in Bengaluru. The dashboard will be ready within the next 20 days. Bommai believes the metro should improve its ability to ferry people. Under phase II, he has urged BMRCL to finish the works by 2024, one year ahead of the present deadline. Image Source Also read: NHSRCL floats tender for MAHSR’s Sabarmati depot construction Also read: India invested Rs 13,483 cr on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor