Shivakumar backs Silk Board–Hebbal tunnel road project, Tejasvi Surya calls it unscientific

Shivakumar stated that the 16.75 km signal-free tunnel would allow commuters to bypass over 25 traffic bottlenecks, saving more than 45 minutes of travel time daily.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar on Sunday backed the proposed tunnel road project from Silk Board to Hebbal, claiming it would transform mobility in Bengaluru, while BJP MP Tejasvi Surya calls it unscientific.

In a post on 'X', Shivakumar said, "Your time matters. We’re building with you in mind. The Hebbal–Silk Board underground Tunnel is set to transform your daily commute."

He stated that the 16.75 km signal-free tunnel would allow commuters to bypass over 25 traffic bottlenecks, saving more than 45 minutes of travel time daily. The route would also provide direct access to the city’s IT corridor, he added.

"A faster, smarter Bengaluru is on its way — because you deserve better," said Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio.

However, the proposal came under sharp criticism from BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who dismissed the project as unscientific and financially unviable.

In a reply post on 'X', Surya alleged that the tunnel road would cater only to four-wheelers and impose a toll of Rs 600 per journey.

"The Bengaluru Tunnel Road is yet another instance of the Congress government systematically destroying public transport in the city," he said.

"From the word go, the Hebbal–Silk Board tunnel idea has been riddled with problems," he added.

Surya alleged that the Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared at a cost of Rs 9.5 crore, was done by a consultant who had previously been blacklisted elsewhere, and large parts of the DPR were copied from another report.

Calling the tunnel project “an unscientific solution to Bengaluru’s mobility issues,” Surya said it was bound to fail, wasting Rs 18,000 crore of taxpayers’ money.

He also pointed out that the state government plans to bear an additional Rs 7,200 crore as part of the 40 per cent Viability Gap Funding to make up for the project's poor revenue outlook.

"Thank you, D K Shivakumar, for neglecting crucial civic issues such as potholes, underfunding public transport, delaying Metro projects, withholding the Fare Fixation Committee report, and pushing forward with an unscientific project," Surya said sarcastically.