Karnataka explores building Tunnel Roads to decongest traffic in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, India (Urban Transport News): The Karnataka Government is planning to build tunnel roads to overcome the traffic issues in the Bengaluru. The plan was revealed in a recent meeting held with Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, Congress leader Rajeev Gowda, entrepreneur and chairperson of Manipal Group of Education Mohandas Pai, and other stakeholders. The meeing was chaired by deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar who has sought a feasibility study on tunnel roads to decongest Bengaluru traffic.

The meeting held at Shivakumar’s office at Vidhana Soudha on 4th July 2023 also included officials from AECOM, an international agency for infrastructure designs, focused on exploring different solutions to decongest Bengaluru. It included the proposal of constructing surface roads and elevated roads, among other alternatives. The concept of double-decker tunnel road, separate lane for two wheelers and tunnel road model in other countries, among other subjects, were discussed in the meeting.

“It was a knowledge-sharing meeting where inputs were sought from different stakeholders to find a solution to decongest Bengaluru traffic. Officials contemplated that if the tunnels were to be under the roads, there would be no cost or acquisition of land required. If we do it right, there shouldn’t be any disturbance to the existing traffic pattern,” said an official.

The meeting is among a series of discussions convened by Shivakumar over the construction of tunnel roads in Bengaluru. According to early estimates, the project would cost approximately Rs 50,000 crore. The idea behind tunnel road is to connect the inner roads of Bengaluru to the outer ring roads.

“It lacks any scientific basis and logic, and is a total disregard for long-term and sustainable solutions required for the city. It is a result of shortsightedness or in other words “tunnel vision” of those who are ideating and promoting such solutions,” commented Prof. (Dr.) Ashish Verma, convener, IISc. Sustainable Transportation Lab. However, he added that what was required for a long-term and sustainable decongestion plan for core city areas was a tunnel metro, which was already part of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).