bengaluru come 2026 bengalureans might be able to travel in metrolike airconditioned suburban trainsthis will be a massive boost to the countrys tech capital which has a dubious distinction of having the slowestmoving traffic in the globe in addition to this bmrcl is planning a 175 km namma metro network by 2025 and 314km in 2041while the 148km suburban rail project with four corridors was approved by the centre in october 2020 at a cost of rs 15767 crore it gained momentum only in june 2022 after prime minister narendra modi laid the foundation stone in fact modi had promised a 40month deadline for the project which was pending for the last 40 years for the ruling party suburban rail project is prestigious since it often highlights the need for a doubleengine government to speed up infrastructure workofficials from rail infrastructure development company karnataka limited kride which is executing the project said it is finally on trackwhile civil work of mallige line byappanahallichikkabanavara has commenced kride issued a tender notification last week for work between heelalige and rajanukunte kanaka linetimesviewfor bengalureans a dedicated suburban rail system like the ones in mumbai and chennai has been a longpending dream though decks have been cleared for the project in the city it feels so near and yet so far the ruling bjp always talks about the need for a doubleengine government to propel infrastructure projects it should therefore deliver this project without delays and cost escalation if all goes according to plan bengaluru will have 175km of namma metro and 148km of suburban rail network by 2027 this has huge potential to decongest the city kride should have a technocrat as an md and both the centre and state should release required funds and land for the project to ensure its on track and on timeofficials from rail infrastructure development company karnataka limited kride which is executing the project said it is finally on trackwhile civil work of mallige line byappanahallichikkabanavara has commenced kride issued a tender notification last week for work between heelalige and rajanukunte kanaka line for mallige line the civil work tender was invited in november 2021 and opened in march 2022 however a work order was issued to lt at rs 8599 crore only in september 2022 kride sources said lt couldnt take up the work due to delay by south western railway to transfer 157 acres of land to kride for this corridorin december 2022 swr handed over 157 acres of land required for mallige line for 35 years and charged a nominal rate of re 1 per acre said an officialhe said they require 327 acres from the railways around 90 of land for the project is from the railways and we are in talks with them to transfer the remaining land of the 148km only 45km is elevated viaduct and the remaining atgrade the project could be completed faster since it is atgrade and there is less private land acquisition said a source kride officials