Bengaluru's suburban rail was due to be complete in October 2026. None of its four lines is running. The first is now due in December 2028. The line to Devanahalli and the airport is due in March 2030, 41 months past the original deadline.
The four lines and their current targets
| Line | Route | Length | Current target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mallige | Benniganahalli to Chikkabanavara | 25 km | December 2028 |
| Kanaka | Heelalige to Rajanukunte | 46 km | 2029 |
| Sampige | KSR to Devanahalli and the airport | 41 km | March 2030 |
| Parijaata | Kengeri to Whitefield | 35 km | March 2030 |
How the dates moved
- October 2020: the Union Cabinet sanctioned 148 km across four corridors.
- June 2022: foundation stone, on a 40-month target. That ran out in October 2025.
- October 2026: the deadline on the original schedule.
- Now: March 2030, set after a PRAGATI review.
What held it up
L&T terminated its civil contracts on Mallige and Kanaka in July 2025, citing lack of workfront, and both were re-tendered. Land acquisition is still open on the airport line and the Kengeri–Whitefield line. The cost was ₹15,767 crore at sanction. The state approved a revised cost of ₹16,876 crore in January 2026.
What it means for the north
Yelahanka to Devanahalli now has two rail links on paper: the airport metro, Hebbal to the airport, due September–October 2027 on the current schedule, and suburban rail, KSR to the airport, due March 2030. Both are dates, not trains. Price a home on what runs the day you take possession.