Bengaluru suburban rail to transform daily commute: 19 lakh riders, 40,000 buses off roads

K-RIDE MD Lakshman Singh says the ₹23,342-crore Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project will cut congestion, integrate Metro and buses, eliminate 24 level crossings, and deliver green, high-frequency rail connectivity across 148 km.

The Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) is set to redefine urban mobility in the city, serving nearly 19 lakh passengers every day and removing about 40,000 buses from Bengaluru’s roads, significantly easing traffic congestion. The ambitious plan was outlined by Lakshman Singh, Managing Director of Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE), during a presentation titled “Building Tomorrow’s Cities with Integrated Rail Network” at Concrete Panorama & Deminar 2026, organised by the Indian Concrete Institute, Bengaluru Centre, on Wednesday.

Singh said the ₹23,342-crore project will span 148 kilometres, covering four corridors, Sampige, Mallige, Parijata and Kanaka, collectively branded as ‘Samparka’, meaning connectivity. The network will include 57 stations and, according to projections by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), is expected to handle 19 lakh passengers daily by 2027 if all corridors are completed as scheduled.

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A major feature of the project is its seamless integration with existing public transport systems. The suburban rail network will connect with 17 Metro stations, 22 railway stations and major bus depots, enabling smooth multimodal travel across the city. This integration, Singh noted, would drastically cut dependence on road-based transport and reduce traffic congestion.

To support high-frequency train services, around 24 level crossings across Bengaluru will be eliminated. In densely populated areas where building conventional flyovers is difficult, K-RIDE plans to elevate Indian Railways tracks using advanced retaining wall and track-shifting techniques, ensuring minimal disruption to traffic and avoiding large-scale displacement.

Sustainability is another key focus. Stations are being designed with universal accessibility, solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems and eco-friendly construction methods. These measures aim to cut nearly 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and harvest about 22 million litres of water every year.

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One of the most notable design elements is the Yeshwantpur interchange. The proposed five-storey complex will integrate suburban rail, Metro and Indian Railways services under one roof. The station will feature two basement parking levels and vertically stacked corridors, with two suburban lines running one above the other, a first-of-its-kind design for Bengaluru.

Singh emphasised that the suburban railway project is a crucial step toward building a modern, integrated and sustainable transport system for the city, capable of meeting future mobility demands while significantly improving quality of life.