K’taka govt to implement tunnel road, Greater Bengaluru projects amid opposition
Bengaluru: Karnataka government is all set to implement the tunnel road project and the Greater Bengaluru project proposing to split Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) amid the stiff opposition by the BJP and the JD-S.
When asked about the BJP’s protest in 28 constituencies against the proposed tunnel road in Bengaluru, similar to its earlier opposition to the steel bridge, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said: “If we attempt road widening instead of the tunnel road, the land acquisition process alone will cost Rs 3 lakh crore. Compensation must be provided at a 1:2 ratio in all cases. The plan is being made by taking into account all possibilities.”
“If a double-decker flyover had been built alongside existing metro lines, we wouldn’t be facing such issues today. That is why, going forward, all new metro routes will incorporate double-decker flyovers, with the BBMP covering 50 per cent of the costs,” Shivakumar stated.
He also announced, “We are planning to build 160 kilometres of flyovers and 300 kilometres of roads in buffer zones along storm water drains. These projects will be implemented in phases and require time,” he stated.
He remarked: “I have seen the roads of Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi, and they are in worse condition than Bengaluru’s. In the assembly, I will present data on traffic congestion times in different cities. Bengaluru is gaining global attention, and that’s why its traffic problems are more noticeable. We are working on the ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative to reduce pressure on the city.”
Responding to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s criticism that the BBMP division plan is an attempt to erase Bengaluru’s founder Kempegowda’s legacy, Shivakumar said: “Kumaraswamy is only playing politics. What did he do during his tenure? When I was the Urban Development Minister in Krishna’s government, BBMP’s jurisdiction was limited to Hebbal, RR Nagar, Banashankari, and KR Puram. Why did Kumaraswamy’s government later expand the city’s limits? Bengaluru is growing. Electronic City has practically become a separate Bengaluru, and its revenue and projects need to be managed accordingly.”
He further said: “Bengaluru is not just about Sadashivanagar and the area around Vidhana Soudha. In March 2023, the BJP government issued a notification to develop a 90-meter-wide road (IRR) in Whitefield. Within Bengaluru, acquiring land for a 19 km road alone would cost Rs 25,000 crore. Who were they doing this for? Major buildings have already been constructed in these areas, yet they issued this notification without considering the implications. Let critics continue their criticism, I am committed to progress.”