Karnataka Govt Mulls Tunnel Roads to Decongest Bengaluru Traffic

BENGALURU: In an effort to decongest Bengaluru city roads, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said to construct 190-km of tunnel roads in identified roads of Bengaluru city and a feasibility report would be available to the State Government by December 15 this year.

Shivakumar said at a press conference in Bengaluru that 9 Companies had participated in the Expression of Interests and 8 Companies have been found to be eligible for construction of tunnel roads and the eligible Companies have been informed as well. The eligible Companies will be submitting a report in another 45-days and the Consultant for the project would also be finalized by end of October, said the DyCM.

On the proposed tunnel roads in Bengaluru city, Shivakumar said a decision has to be made whether the tunnel roads to be of 4 lane or 6-lane? and “Do tunnel roads be proposed for the entire city? The Companies will conduct a study and decide on the matter.

The tunnel project proposed for Bengaluru city is a huge project involving a huge sum of money and the tunnel roads for Bengaluru city will have to be taken-up in phases and as of now, 190-km of roads have been proposed for tunnel roads construction, he said.

The roads identified for tunnel roads in Bengaluru city are Ballari road, Old Madras road, Mekri Circle, Miller road, Chalukya Circle, Trinity Circle, Sarjapur road, Hosur road, Magadi road, KR Market, Silk Board among others.

“How tunnel roads could be constructed on the identified roads will be studied by the Companies,” he said and felt that Bengaluru city needs four-lane tunnel roads.

Over Janata Dal Secular leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that the proposed tunnel roads are to make money, the DyCM said that he has been given the responsibility to deliver and he would stick to it and stated that “Should I take decisions in consultations with opposition leaders?”