<p>Bengaluru: A study on decongesting city traffic, commissioned by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in December 2024, has come under scrutiny for plagiarism.</p>.<p>Substantial portions of the report closely mirror a 2022 study prepared by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).</p>.<p>A glance through both documents indicates that between 60 and 75 per cent of the BBMP report shows clear overlap with the earlier study.</p>.<p>A significant portion — over 200 pages, including pictures — appears to be directly reproduced. Popular Artificial Intelligence tools describe the extent of plagiarism as "high and extensive".</p>.<p>The findings assume significance as the BBMP report went on to suggest a number of projects, including a controversial 40-km tunnel road proposal and a network of 14 flyovers, while the BMRCL study focused on immediate and low-cost upgrades, such as improvement in traffic management and public transport.</p>.<p>This has raised fears that the tunnel road proposal may be developed on plagiarised material.</p>.<p>In addition, the BBMP spent Rs 5.5 crore for the report, which was prepared by New Delhi-based Altinok Consulting and Engineering Inc. Urban Mass Transit Company was the consulting firm behind the BMRCL study.</p>.<p>A side-by-side comparison shows that Altinok has largely borrowed entire sections, including the city profile, traffic analysis and methodology, from the BMRCL report.</p>.<p>Key portions describing Bengaluru’s demographics, vehicular growth and congestion patterns are reproduced verbatim, with identical data, wording and structure. Sections detailing BMTC operations and metro services have also been replicated, with matching statistics and phrasing. The methodology chapter begins with identical language and follows the same analytical framework as the earlier report.</p>.<p>Adding to the concerns, the BBMP commissioned a fresh traffic study despite the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) having already prepared a Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Bengaluru. This plan also played a critical role in getting approval for Namma Metro Phase II (A) and Phase II (B).</p>.<p>Mobility experts believe that the BBMP commissioned the study to propose capital-intensive projects such as tunnel roads, instead of designing scientific solutions.</p>.<p>Satya Arikutharam, independent mobility expert, said the staggering extent of plagiarism simply makes the report unacceptable.</p>.<p>“Not only did the BBMP pay Rs 5.5 crore for a recycled old study, but Bengaluru now faces a situation where it has proposed various car-centric projects based on an unscientific report,” he said. “The government must introspect and drop the tunnel road project. It must establish the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) and update the existing mobility plan.”</p>.<p>BS Prahallad, technical director of Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), defended the work, stating that all earlier study material should invariably be used for reference purposes.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A study on decongesting city traffic, commissioned by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in December 2024, has come under scrutiny for plagiarism.</p>.<p>Substantial portions of the report closely mirror a 2022 study prepared by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).</p>.<p>A glance through both documents indicates that between 60 and 75 per cent of the BBMP report shows clear overlap with the earlier study.</p>.<p>A significant portion — over 200 pages, including pictures — appears to be directly reproduced. Popular Artificial Intelligence tools describe the extent of plagiarism as "high and extensive".</p>.<p>The findings assume significance as the BBMP report went on to suggest a number of projects, including a controversial 40-km tunnel road proposal and a network of 14 flyovers, while the BMRCL study focused on immediate and low-cost upgrades, such as improvement in traffic management and public transport.</p>.<p>This has raised fears that the tunnel road proposal may be developed on plagiarised material.</p>.<p>In addition, the BBMP spent Rs 5.5 crore for the report, which was prepared by New Delhi-based Altinok Consulting and Engineering Inc. Urban Mass Transit Company was the consulting firm behind the BMRCL study.</p>.<p>A side-by-side comparison shows that Altinok has largely borrowed entire sections, including the city profile, traffic analysis and methodology, from the BMRCL report.</p>.<p>Key portions describing Bengaluru’s demographics, vehicular growth and congestion patterns are reproduced verbatim, with identical data, wording and structure. Sections detailing BMTC operations and metro services have also been replicated, with matching statistics and phrasing. The methodology chapter begins with identical language and follows the same analytical framework as the earlier report.</p>.<p>Adding to the concerns, the BBMP commissioned a fresh traffic study despite the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) having already prepared a Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Bengaluru. This plan also played a critical role in getting approval for Namma Metro Phase II (A) and Phase II (B).</p>.<p>Mobility experts believe that the BBMP commissioned the study to propose capital-intensive projects such as tunnel roads, instead of designing scientific solutions.</p>.<p>Satya Arikutharam, independent mobility expert, said the staggering extent of plagiarism simply makes the report unacceptable.</p>.<p>“Not only did the BBMP pay Rs 5.5 crore for a recycled old study, but Bengaluru now faces a situation where it has proposed various car-centric projects based on an unscientific report,” he said. “The government must introspect and drop the tunnel road project. It must establish the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) and update the existing mobility plan.”</p>.<p>BS Prahallad, technical director of Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), defended the work, stating that all earlier study material should invariably be used for reference purposes.</p>
