Mumbai, July 3 -- Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya opposed the Karnataka government's proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru after the Chief Minister launched the scheme, saying it represented an unscientific approach that would not address the city's traffic problems. The project was launched by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and involves a three-lane twin tunnel between Mehkri Circle and Hebbal Junction, a two km stretch estimated at Rs 11.39 billion (Rs 11.39 bn). Surya framed the plan as symptomatic of deeper failures in urban planning.
He noted that the government's own detailed project report indicated the tunnel would be saturated from day one, and he said that rendered the scheme flawed from the start. He argued that if the report projected immediate congestion the project would not serve ordinary commuters. Surya added that the project would not provide a long-term solution to congestion.
He asserted the scheme appeared to favour a small privileged group, including residents of Sadashivanagar and other elites who use the corridor to reach the airport, while ordinary taxpayers would bear the cost. He also alleged that contractors would benefit and that funds would be diverted to the ruling party, presenting the claim as a political concern. Surya questioned how a short tunnel could be presented as an answer when his party's figures had argued short flyovers could not relieve congestion.
He urged the government to prioritise expansion of mass public transport, including the Red Line Metro corridor, buses and suburban rail, as the appropriate long-term strategy. He argued that public transport had proven effective over time and that further flyovers and tunnels would replicate past failures. Reaffirming his opposition, he said his party would continue to resist plans for a longer tunnel and called for better planning rather than costly engineering fixes.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.