BENGALURU: The Union Budget announced seven high-speed rail corridors, describing them as ‘growth connectors’ aimed at delivering faster and greener connectivity among major cities. Bengaluru is set to be linked with Hyderabad and Chennai through two of these corridors, offering substantial time savings for commuters.The proposed high-speed rail system will be designed for a maximum speed of 350 kmph, with an operational speed of 320 kmph and an average speed of 250 kmph.
In 2021, the Railways entrusted the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) with preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru high-speed rail corridor, with a total length of 463km. The project was planned in two phases: 306km between Chennai and Bengaluru in Phase I, and 157km between Bengaluru and Mysuru in Phase II. The corridor was envisaged to drastically cut the travel time to less than two hours between Bengaluru and Chennai.The proposed alignment largely passes through greenfield areas. In 2024, NHSRCL conducted public consultations as part of the DPR preparation process. The alignment passes through 313 towns and villages, requiring an estimated 1,162 hectares of land. Between Chennai and Bengaluru, eight stations were identified, with Whitefield and Electronics City planned as major stops within Bengaluru. The project also envisaged a 38km tunnel network, including 14km within Bengaluru city limits.However, the absence of any mention of Mysuru in the budget speech has fuelled speculation that the Mysuru leg may no longer be part of the plan.RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) was awarded the final location survey for the Hyderabad-Bengaluru high-speed rail corridor last year by the South Central Railway (SCR). The proposed 626km corridor is expected to reduce travel time to two hours. The alignment of the proposed high-speed rail corridor is likely to follow the existing rail alignment connecting Hyderabad and Bengaluru; however, more details will be known after finalisation of the DPR.“With Bengaluru set to be connected by two proposed corridors, the new rail projects will transform inter-city travel and will benefit Karnataka,” minister of state for railways, V Somanna, said.A South Western Railway official noted that the fastest existing services between Bengaluru and Hyderabad include the Vande Bharat Express, which takes about 4.5 hours, and the Kacheguda–Yeshwanthpur train, which takes 8.5 hours. “The Vande Bharat services, especially on the Bengaluru-Chennai route, receive a very good response, often running at full occupancy,” the official said. He added that more details would emerge after the DPRs for the new corridors are finalised. Suburban rail project gets Rs 500 croreThe Union Budget has also allocated Rs 500 crore for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), marking an increase from Rs 350 crore in 2025-26. The project was sanctioned in 2020.Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-Ride) had taken up the construction of two corridors — Baiyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara and Heelalige–Rajanakunte. However, work on these stretches was stalled after contractors withdrew, citing land acquisition issues. Last year, K-Ride floated fresh tenders to take up the pending works. The allocation from the Union Budget, along with the state govt’s contribution in the upcoming state budget, is expected to help revive the long-pending project.
