India’s largest railway terminal planned in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka

Bengaluru will build India’s largest railway terminal at Yelahanka for ₹5,754 crore. With 16 platforms and modern facilities, it will ease congestion as passenger traffic exceeds 212 million annually.

Bengaluru is set to host India’s largest railway terminal, with the South Western Railway (SWR) announcing plans for a ₹5,754-crore facility in Yelahanka. The terminal will be located next to the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF), and its Final Location Survey (FLS) has already been sanctioned.

Initially, the project was proposed in Devanahalli, near Kempegowda International Airport. However, after a review in June 2025, officials concluded that Devanahalli was unsuitable due to its distance from the city. Yelahanka was identified as a more practical site, with conceptual plans prepared to either relocate or retain the RWF. An FLS costing ₹1.35 crore has been completed, and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will follow.

The new terminal is expected to feature 16 platforms, 12 pit lines, and 24 stabling lines, making it Bengaluru’s second modern terminal after SMVT Bengaluru, which currently handles 50 trains bound for eastern and northeastern India. With Bengaluru serving 212 million passengers in 2024–25, including over 103 million originating passengers, the city’s existing infrastructure is stretched thin. Officials anticipate 210 trains originating from Bengaluru in the near future, making expansion critical.

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Operational bottlenecks such as overcrowded platforms, fully utilised pit lines, frequent delays, and insufficient stabling facilities have made expansion at current sites nearly impossible. The Yelahanka terminal aims to ease these constraints and strengthen Bengaluru’s railway network.

In addition, Railway Minister Somanna announced that the ₹1,370-crore redevelopment masterplan for KSR Bengaluru station is ready for cabinet approval. The DPR for quadrupling tracks between Bengaluru and Tumakuru has been completed, and surveys will soon begin for a direct line from Whitefield to Kolar.

Somanna also inaugurated a new ₹14.1-crore railway overbridge in Vijayanagar, benefiting residents of Goripalya, Vijayanagar, and nearby areas. The SWR plans to eliminate 108 level crossings in Bengaluru by constructing more road underbridges and overbridges, further improving connectivity and safety.