BENGALURU: The Rs 15,767-crore Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project has been allocated Rs 400 crore in the budget against the Rs 1,300 crore sought for it, which works out to just around 31% of its requirement.
The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) had sent in the request to the state, said sources at K-RIDE, the nodal agency for implementing the project.
Out of the 148.17-km project, the contract has been awarded to only two of the four corridors presently - Corridor-2 from Baiyappanahalli Terminal to Chikkabanavara and Corridor-4 from Heelalige to Rajanakunte.
A senior K-RIDE official told TNIE, “This sum will definitely not be sufficient as the project is expected to pick up pace this financial year. The bigger bills for Corridor-2 have started coming in and bills for Corridor-4 will also begin to come.”
Another official ruled out any impact on the project and said, “Whenever we need funds, the state will give us the additional sum required. We also have a balance of Rs 500 crore in our outer account. After we spend this as well as the allocated funds, we can seek additional funds.”
The project is being jointly funded by the state and the Centre.
Tenders for the Corridor-1 (KSR Bengaluru City to Devanahalli) and Corridor 4 (Heelalige to Rajanakunte) are yet to be called for. It has a revised deadline of December 2027.