Mumbai, July 6 -- Bengaluru South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya has approached the Karnataka High Court to challenge the proposed North?South tunnel road project, arguing that the 17-km Hebbal?Silk Board corridor lacks scientific merit and will not relieve the city's traffic congestion. He registered a public interest litigation that was listed before the court but was not taken up on the day, and he sought an early hearing; the matter has been posted to July 6, 2026. The MP reiterated his party's intention to oppose any move to implement the larger corridor while pursuing legal remedies.

The state government proceeded to lay a foundation stone for a toll?free, twin three?lane cut?and?cover tunnel between Mehkri Circle and Hebbal Junction, presenting the scheme as part of a wider infrastructure drive. Officials framed the project as a component of a Rs 1.5 tn infrastructure development plan for Bengaluru and projected a completion timeframe of three to four years for the full corridor. The administration also advanced a shorter two point two km, six?lane Hebbal tunnel, for which a contract has been awarded.

Surya raised questions about the detailed project report, noting its prediction that the Hebbal short tunnel would be congested from the first day, and he argued that a short tunnel would merely displace jams to Mehkri Circle rather than resolving underlying traffic problems. He urged prioritisation of Metro expansion, improvements to BMTC bus services and suburban rail, and better urban planning as more sustainable public investments. The MP further alleged that some tunnel projects were structured to favour contractors and enable kickbacks, an accusation the state government rejected.

The two point two km short tunnel contract has been awarded to Rithwik Projects Private Limited at a value equivalent to about Rs 11.39 bn, with officials aiming for completion within 18 months. Surya's earlier judicial interventions included a July 2025 petition seeking release of the Namma Metro Fare Fixation Committee report, which led to the report being made public after court notices to the state and the metro corporation. The case return date and the broader debate over transport priorities will be watched closely by civic groups and commuters alike.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.