Bengaluru Suburban Rail Deadline Extended to 2030; PM Modi Demands Accountability

• Bengaluru's 148-km suburban rail project, approved in 2020, now has a revised completion deadline of March 2030, extended from October 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed strong displeasure over the 41-month delay at a PRAGATI meeting, instructing CAG to examine losses and assign responsibility.
• The Mallige Line (Benniganahalli-Chikkabanavara) is due by December 2028, Kanaka Line (Heelalige-Rajanakunte) by June 2029, and Sampige & Parijata Lines by March 2030.
• Land acquisition and rolling stock procurement are major bottlenecks; K-RIDE plans to directly procure coaches from ICF Chennai, requiring a tender exemption.
• Fresh tenders for the Mallige Line civil works are being opened after L&T exited contracts, with the first package opening on January 22.

Why It Matters: Bengaluru's suburban rail project faces significant delays, prompting PM Modi's intervention and a new 2030 deadline.