
Mumbai, July 14 -- The Karnataka chief minister, DK Shivakumar, said the state government is investing over Rs 1.5 trillion (Rs 1.5 tn) solely to improve mobility infrastructure in Bengaluru. He announced plans to establish 40 km more of tunnel roadway and over 44 km of double-decker roadway as part of a broader urban mobility push. The remarks were delivered at the Katalyst Connect event hosted by the IT-BT Department and the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission. The chief minister met more than 150 representatives from global capability centres based in the state and sought to assuage concerns about last-mile connectivity.
In addition, the government has planned a 133 km flyover project and is constructing a 123 km Bangalore Business Corridor, with expenditure of Rs 260 billion (Rs 260 bn) earmarked for the first phase. Officials indicated the business corridor is intended to streamline freight and commuter flows across key industrial and commercial zones. The administration also outlined an ambitious target to expand the metro network to 500 km by next year to complement road projects.
The chief minister said the Hebbal Tunnel Road was prioritised after he assumed office and that planning proceeded despite political criticism. He framed the tunnel and double-decker schemes as responses to persistent congestion and as elements of a multimodal mobility strategy. Project timelines and procurement details were described as being advanced to accelerate implementation.
Engagement with global capability centres formed part of a dialogue on urban connectivity and talent retention, with officials presenting road and transit interventions designed to reduce commute times. The government stressed that investment in infrastructure aimed to support the technology and services ecosystem and enhance last-mile access for employees. Stakeholders were told that coordinated delivery across projects would be essential to achieve intended benefits.
Officials said the scale of planned investment and mix of tunnels, elevated carriageways and metro expansion reflect a strategic push to transform Bengaluru's transport framework. The administration indicated that phased execution would be prioritised to align funding and construction capacity, and that further announcements on schedules and contractors will follow.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.