Union budget trims funding for Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project by ₹100 crore

The Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 allocated ₹350 crore to the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, down from ₹450 crore last year.

Published on: Jul 24, 2024, 17:25:32 IST

By Yamini C S

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday allocated ₹350 crore to the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP) in the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, marking a reduction of ₹100 crore compared to the previous year's allocation of ₹450 crore.

The 148 km Bengaluru suburban rail proposal with four corridors has been a much delayed project, languishing for decades. (Getty Images / Representational Photo)

The project aims to establish a 148 km rail network across four corridors in Bengaluru, with an estimated total cost of ₹15,767 crore. Funding for the project involves a 40 per cent contribution from both the State and Central governments, while the remaining funds are slated to come from external borrowing, The Hindu reported.

ALSO READ | Over 2,000 citizens oppose felling of 33,000 trees for Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project: Report

The Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE) has commenced work on the Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara corridor, covering 25 km and featuring 14 proposed stations.

ALSO READ | In major leap, South Western Railway leases 114 acres land for Bengaluru Suburban Railway project's Corridor-4

Rail advocates acknowledge the project's long-delayed progress but expressed concerns over the reduced allocation, advocating for higher funding. K-RIDE officials, however, view the budget allocation as realistic and are actively pursuing additional funding through external sources, the publication stated.

In recent developments, more than 2,000 residents have lodged protests last month against the proposed cutting down of approximately 33,000 trees to facilitate the project. In another related incident, the South Western Railway (SWR) gave as much as 114.472 acres of land to the long overdue project in April for the construction of its Corridor-4, from Heelalige to Rajanukunte in Bengaluru, making way for huge progress.

ALSO READ | Vaishnaw urges Karnataka govt to fast-track Bengaluru suburban rail project

The ruling Congress government in Karnataka has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Union Budget 2024, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday saying “we don't feel Kannadigas were heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting”.

In response, the Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra on Wednesday hit out at the state government and said CM Siddaramaiah should convince the central government and bring more money to Karnataka instead of "politicising" the budget.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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