Bengaluru tunnel row: MP Tejasvi Surya to meet Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, pitch alternatives

Tejasvi Surya has expressed his displeasure multiple times with the project as the tunnel will pass through Lalbagh Botanical Garden and can be used only with people who own cars.

Bengaluru: Bangalore South MP LS Tejasvi Surya on Sunday said that he would be meeting Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in the next few days to discuss alternative plans for the proposed 18-km tunnel project linking Hebbal and Silk Board Junction.

“I have requested DyCM’s office for half an hour of his time to discuss the implications of the tunnel road and the alternative action plans,” he said.

Surya has expressed his displeasure multiple times with the project as the tunnel will pass through Lalbagh Botanical Garden and can be used only with people who own cars.

“The government has not carried out an environment impact assessment and I do not think the officials responsible for it have informed DK Shivakumar about the implications of the project,” said the MP.

Stating that Shivakumar is interested and working towards the welfare of the city, the BJP MP said that if he knew about the implications of the project, he would have dropped it.

During his meeting with the DyCM, he aims to convince him to drop the project. “Despite making him aware of the situation and he still wants to continue with the project, we will continue the case in the high court,” said Surya.

On Tuesday, the court will hear a Public Interest Litigation petition against the tunnel road project filed by actor Prakash Belawadi. The argument will be presented by Surya.

Shivakumar on Saturday called Surya an "empty vessel" and accused him of being against the development of the city. He also said that Surya was unable to bring even Rs 10 in funds from the center.

Replying to the accusation, Surya said, “Replying to such accusations is not a big deal but it will not help the people of the city in any way. If he calls me names and I call him names, will the potholes of the city get repaired? He can say whatever he wants, I will not reply to that.”

Surya said that the BJP has extended its support to the state government for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project and the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project.

Meeting with Namma Metro MD

Surya, along with a few BJP MLAs, will be meeting BMRCL MD J Ravishankar on Monday to discuss the metro ticket price hike and the "flaws" in the price fixation report.

“The BMRCL has gotten the basic math wrong, so we will be seeking an explanation from them. They have made an extra Rs 150 crore after the price hike. We had to go to court to even get them to make the fixation report public,” he said.