Activists launch online campaign against Bengaluru’s Tunnel Road, Sky-Deck projects
According to the activists and experts, the two ambitious projects of Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar are misplaced priorities amidst pressing social and environmental concerns.
The Tunnel Road, a six-lane underground corridor spanning 18 kilometres from Hebbal to the Central Silk Board junction, is estimated to cost Rs 16,500 crore. (Image: change.org) Civic activists and urban planners, in a growing online petition campaign, have urged the Karnataka government to reconsider its decision on two high-cost infrastructure projects—the Bengaluru Tunnel Road and the proposed Sky-Deck tower. According to the activists and experts, the two ambitious projects of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar are misplaced priorities amidst pressing social and environmental concerns.
The Tunnel Road, a six-lane underground corridor spanning 18 kilometres from Hebbal to the Central Silk Board junction, is estimated to cost Rs 16,500 crore, while the Sky-Deck, a 250-meter-high tower touted as South Asia’s tallest, has a price tag of Rs 500 crore. Together, along with other proposed projects like double-decker flyovers and expressways, the initiatives are expected to cost over Rs 50,000 crore, sparking intense criticism from civic groups and environmental activists.
The petitioners have made a direct appeal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to prioritise projects that benefit all citizens rather than a select few. “Bengaluru and Karnataka deserve sustainable, inclusive development—not flashy but ineffective infrastructure that widens inequities,” the petition reads.
Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee of CIVIC Bangalore who has spearheaded the online campaign, argues that the projects cater primarily to the city’s 23 lakh private car owners, representing a mere 2.8 per cent of Karnataka’s 7 crore population. “Spending Rs 16,500 crore to serve a minority when basic needs like healthcare, education, and water security remain underfunded is an injustice,” reads the petition.
It highlights disparities in resource allocation, pointing out that the backward Kalyana Karnataka region receives only Rs 3,000 crore annually, much of which remains underutilised.
The petition also raises concerns over bypassing statutory planning processes, including the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA). Constituted in December 2022 to oversee transport-related projects, BMLTA has reportedly been sidelined, with no public consultations or environmental and social impact assessments conducted for these projects. “This unilateral decision undermines the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which prioritises sustainable public transport solutions,” the campaign alleges.
Geological and environmental concerns
The campaign has also raised alarms over the feasibility of the tunnel road, citing Bengaluru’s challenging geology of hard rocks, fissures, and fluctuating water tables. The project risks structural instability, groundwater disruptions, and increased sinkholes, according to geologists.
Additionally, the petition also highlights that the projects appear to conflict with the recently launched Bengaluru Climate Action Plan (BCAP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which advocate for reducing car dependency and environmental degradation.
The petition suggests reallocating funds to address Bengaluru’s pressing challenges and improve quality of life. The petition suggests to build tunnels to store rainwater, address water scarcity and urban flooding, to develop smaller cities to curb migration to Bengaluru, easing urban congestion, to double current allocations to improve free health care and education for all Kannadigas and to expand public transport usage to 75 per cent by investing in bus fleets, suburban rail, and walkable infrastructure.
Call for sustainable mobility
The petition emphasizes reducing private vehicle dependency through congestion taxes, graded parking fees, and restrictions on second and third car purchases without parking facilities. It calls for a shift to “faster, better, cheaper, safer, and tried-and-tested” solutions like reliable bus services, dedicated bus rapid transit systems (BRTS), and cyclable roads.
Vishwanath S, director of Biome Environmental Solutions and a civil engineer said, “The construction of the tunnel road would have far reaching environmental implications with the major one being groundwater depletion. Bengaluru is already grappling with a water supply crisis and if at all the tunnel roads are constructed, the groundwater depletion would be significant. The tunnel road construction will impact the aquifer, which recharges borewells and groundwater, thus disrupting the overall groundwater supply.”
According to Professor Ashish Verma, department of civil engineering at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, it is insane to even think about building a tunnel road for vehicles on a corridor where there is already an upcoming Metro project. “Let alone the possibility of how quickly tunnelling can be achieved in three years, the entire project itself is not worthwhile. Nowhere can you justify this move,” he said.
Prof Verna said the entire premise of the project is flawed in many ways. “Ideally, we reach the DPR stage only after preparing alternative solutions or analysis to address the traffic problem. But in this case, without doing so, the DPR was rushed to completion. Moreover, at times of heavy rainfall, do you think the BBMP engineers will guarantee the tunnel will be free of flooding? It will be a disaster,” he added.
R Rajagopalan, convenor of Bengaluru Residents Welfare Association, said there are more pressing social, civil infrastructure issues for which the coffers are empty and loans are being sought.
“We urge residents to strongly oppose the project. We don’t need a skydeck to fulfill someone’s personal ambitions. When the state and the city are in a golden period of surplus, such projects may be considered by a city’s Metropolitan Planning Committee as per the Constitution,” he asserted.
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