High Speed rail project in slow speed.

Karnataka high-speed rail plan hits legal roadblock

A high-speed rail link (HSRL) project connecting Bangalore to its new international airport, proposed at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore and intended to reduce commuting time from the present one hour to 20 minutes, has hit speed breakers over the legal framework the project is to be implemented under. In 2006, the Karnataka government proposed to implement the project under the Mysore Tramway Act 1905, but with the new airport located outside the jurisdiction of the city corporation or the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike, where the Act is not applicable, the government has been forced to stall the project indefinitely while it pursues a legal resolution.

Despite being ready in August this year to issue request for proposals (RFP) to five shortlisted consortia to act on the detailed project report prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the government has now asked the shortlisted consortia to wait for legal hurdles to be cleared to begin the RFP process.