Railways will launch train connectivity from city to airport: Ashwini

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that, in addition to road, metro rail, and suburban railway services provided by the state government, his ministry will also introduce a train travel option from Kempegowda International Airport to Bengaluru city. However, he noted that a few technical challenges need to be addressed before this can be implemented and the Railway team is working on resolving them. Addressing reporters, he said that people currently have access to Bengaluru airport via Metro Rail, road, and the suburban railway project managed by the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) (KRIDE).

K-RIDE, a joint venture between the Centre and the state, is under construction and aims to enhance urban rail connectivity. “Apart from Metro Rail, road and K-RIDE, we are also creating a railway connectivity option to the airport,” Vaishnaw said. He recalled that during his last visit, he travelled by train from the airport to the city. “I realised it was a comfortable 40 to 45-minute ride. However, there were some technical issues, particularly the need to construct a rail flyover. The team has now completed the necessary work and they presented the concept to me today. I will share it with you soon.

This will bring significant relief to the people,” the Minister said. On the suburban railway project, he criticised the state government's execution, stating that it lacked technical expertise, including a full-time Managing Director from the Railway technical cadre. He emphasised the importance of suburban and metro projects for Bengaluru, a city with a population of 1.5 crore. “It's a very large city, and we need to rapidly expand metro and suburban rail networks. The state and Centre must work in a synchronised manner,” he pointed out. Vaishnaw mentioned that during his visits, he has been reviewing the progress of the K-RIDE suburban railway project in detail.

“Each time, the major challenge has been the lack of technical personnel. I will request the state government to appoint a full-time MD from the Railway technical cadre. Without this, progress will be slow,” he said. He also expressed disappointment with the project's execution. “It is truly concerning that the state government's execution of this project is not meeting public expectations. The people have high hopes, and to fulfill them, we need a strong technical team," he said.

Besides appointing a full-time MD from the railway cadre, he stressed the urgent need for at least 12 to 13 technically qualified personnel in electrical engineering, civil engineering, and signalling. “We will submit a proposal to the state government. If they agree, we will depute r a i lway officials t o K - RIDE to expedite the project,” the Minister said.