Karnataka Cabinet Approves Rs 2,215 Crore Tunnel Project to Ease Bengaluru Traffic Congestion Amid BJP Criticism

The BJP has criticized the Congress government for implementing solutions they deem ineffective. (Representational)

Bengaluru:

Following the cancellation of the controversial steel flyover project eight years ago due to opposition and environmental concerns, the Karnataka cabinet has approved a new proposal to tackle the ongoing traffic congestion between Hebbal Junction and Mekhri Circle in north Bengaluru.

On Thursday, the cabinet granted administrative approval for the construction of a three-lane twin tunnel using the cut-and-cover method along this congested route, one of Bengaluru's most significant traffic bottlenecks. The project, estimated at Rs 2,215 crore, also incorporates an elevated corridor with a down ramp designed to improve vehicle flow in and out of the junction.

The initiative aims to enhance traffic movement at Hebbal, a crucial gateway connecting the city to Kempegowda International Airport and northern Bengaluru. Comprehensive project timelines and implementation details are expected to be announced soon.

However, on Friday, the BJP accused the state government of pursuing costly and inefficient solutions to Bengaluru's traffic problems.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya claimed the Karnataka government is "obsessed with building tunnels despite their exorbitant costs and limited impact on easing congestion." He further alleged that under Congress leadership, "urban planning and development has become a budget-maximisation exercise marked by duplication of efforts and lack of coordination."

Surya referenced internal objections from the Finance Department, noting that the Cabinet proceeded with the project despite several issues being raised, including a surface road alternative that he claimed would cost only one-tenth of the proposed tunnel. He also highlighted concerns about integration conflicts between the planned north-south tunnel and the new short tunnel, uncertainty regarding the funding mechanism, and insufficient expert evidence supporting the tunnel as the optimal solution.

"Yet, the Siddaramaiah government is pushing ahead," Surya stated, describing the decision as "arbitrary" and arguing that governance under Congress has become "unpredictable, lacking transparency and accountability."