Officials cleared ₹40 crore worth land encroachment on railway land adjacent to Survey No. 2 of Peenya Plantation village, Yelahanka Taluk. The land has been earmarked for the construction of Corridor–2 of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).

During a joint site inspection, the Assistant Directors of Land Records for Bengaluru North Taluk and Yelahanka Taluk confirmed that nearly 500 m of railway road land, falling within 20 guntas between Makala Channenahalli and Peenya Plantation villages, had been encroached upon. “The affected stretch, measuring about 2,000 sq. m, is estimated to be worth around ₹40 crore,” an official said.

The eviction drive was carried out through the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner’s office along with KRIDE officials on 20 September. “The operation was supervised by the Special Deputy Commissioner of K-RIDE, Tahsildars of K-RIDE, Yelahanka, and Bengaluru North Taluks, officials from the Land Records Department, the General Manager of Corridor-2, along with officers from the Railway Department and the Jalahalli Police,” official said.

“Representatives of Bagmane Developers were also present. They were briefed about the encroachment, and the land was subsequently cleared,” the official added.

Following the clearance, boundary stones were installed by K-RIDE and Railway officials, and the land was formally handed over to K-RIDE to begin construction of the corridor.

“This clearance was a crucial step to ensure unhindered progress of the suburban rail project. Corridor–2 will provide vital connectivity, and protecting railway land from encroachment is essential for timely completion,” a senior K-RIDE official said.

Approved in October 2020, the 148-km Bengaluru suburban rail network was slated for phased completion by October 2023, well ahead of its ultimate deadline of October 2026. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in June 2022, he promised residents that the long-awaited project would be delivered within 40 months, putting an end to a delay spanning four decades.

Yet, the pace of work has remained slow. In a significant setback last month, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) withdrew from its contracts for two key corridors Chikkabanavara to Bennigenahalli and Heelalige to Rajankunte citing unresolved challenges and delays in project execution.