Citizens, experts slam Bengaluru tunnel road project; dub Rs 42,000-crore project 'ill conceived'

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru tunnel road project drew strong criticism on Sunday at a citizens' convention organised by the Save Bangalore Committee.

Experts and activists described the plan as ill conceived, economically unjustifiable, and a threat to the city’s environment and liveability.

G Shashikumar, convener of Save Bangalore Committee, opposed the Rs 42,000-crore proposal, calling it unscientific, fiscally irresponsible, and environmentally destructive.

He warned costs could rise to Rs 70,000 crore, burdening citizens with taxes and tolls for decades. He said the tunnels would carry only 1,800 car passengers per hour, compared with 69,000 on the metro and 1.75 lakh on BMTC buses.

He urged the government to invest more in public transport. He criticised the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for plagiarised data and 121 major flaws, and accused authorities of ignoring ecological, geological, and hydrological risks near sensitive areas such as Lalbagh, Hebbal Lake and Sankey Tank where tunnel exits are planned.

In a video message, Prof Ashish Verma of the IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab dismissed the project’s merit.

He called it "counterintuitive and counterproductive" to the goal of moving people and goods, not cars. He said a single metro rail lane can carry 69,000 passengers per hour per direction, while a tunnel road lane manages only 1,800 — a 40-fold difference for similar investments.

Prof TV Ramachandra of the Centre for Ecological Sciences at IISc spoke of serious environmental impacts and linked such projects to rising greenhouse gas emissions and climate disasters.

He said the city should focus on mitigating frequent flooding, as shown by the closure of underpasses during rains, instead of pursuing destructive projects.

He noted the steep decline in Bengaluru’s green cover and water bodies, from 68% green cover in 1973 to 87% concrete cover today, and the loss of 540 out of 756 lakes. He said the city has exceeded its environmental capacity. He urged greater priority for public transport and the adoption of "water urbanism principles" to retain rainwater and recharge groundwater, citing the rejuvenation of Sarakki Lake as a model.

The convention also featured plastic surgeon and Malleswaram resident Dr Sudha Kamath, executive trustee of CIVIC Bangalore Kathyayini Chamaraj, geoscientist CP Rajendran and others, who called for the government to release a white paper on completed projects and demanded full transparency and accountability for environmental and financial impacts.