Bengaluru residents can look forward to the imminent completion of the city's much-anticipated second suburban rail corridor within a little over two years, as confirmed by Karnataka's Infrastructure Development Minister, MB Patil.

Patil revealed that the ongoing work on the 25-kilometre corridor, linking Benniganahalli and Chikkabanavara, is progressing well and is expected to conclude within the next 26 months. He expressed his determination to expedite the project, aiming for an even earlier completion by 2028 if possible.

Presently, around 10 to 15 percent of corridor-2's construction is finished, and foundational work is set to be wrapped up in the coming 10 months. Concurrently, other related projects, such as the Railway Under Bridge (RUB) at Shampura, are advancing as scheduled.

The comprehensive Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project, covering 157 acres of railway land, is currently in the land acquisition phase. Various types of land, including government-owned, defence, railway, and private land, are being procured. Notable progress includes securing approximately five acres of private land for track laying and 2.7 acres of government-owned land. Measures to clear existing encroachments on railway land are also underway.

The Rail Infrastructure Development Company of Karnataka (K-RIDE) has received approval for acquiring around 7.38 acres of defence land in areas like Jalahalli, Nagawara, and CQAE near Yeswanthpur.

Upon the second corridor's completion, attention will shift to the third corridor to Devanahalli Airport and the fourth corridor connecting Kengeri and Whitefield. The project could potentially expand its scope from 149 km to 452 km, reaching locations like Chikkaballapura, Mysuru, Magadi, Tumakuru, Gowribidanuru, Kolar, and Hosur.

As part of the plan, 12 stations for corridor-2 are being constructed under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) model. Meanwhile, the civil works tender process for corridor-4 is reaching its final stages, with contract awards on the horizon. Commencing in October 2025, the first batch of 10 trains will mark a significant stride towards enhancing Bengaluru's urban connectivity.