Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, announced on Thursday that the state government has put forth an ambitious plan to construct a 190-kilometer long tunnel road in Bengaluru. This significant infrastructure project aims to alleviate the city’s traffic congestion woes and improve connectivity.
Shivakumar disclosed that eight companies have been granted eligibility to undertake this project, and they are currently in the process of submitting feasibility reports. In the next 45 days, the government intends to invite public tenders for the initiative.
Addressing the media at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar, who also serves as the Bengaluru Development Minister, emphasized the necessity of this corridor to tackle the city’s persistent traffic issues. Numerous proposals and suggestions have been solicited regarding road infrastructure, traffic congestion, tunnel road construction, and road widening.
The bidding for the tunnel road project attracted global attention, with nine companies expressing their interest. As the deadline for submissions has elapsed, the government must now make key decisions regarding the tunnel’s specifications, including whether it should be four or six lanes, its starting and ending points, entry and exit locations, and whether it should span the entirety of Bengaluru.
Shivakumar identified a proposed 190-kilometer route that encompasses vital areas such as Ballary Road, OMBR Road, ST Mall Junction to Mekhri Circle, Miller Road, Chalukya Road, Trinity Circle, Sarjapur Road, Hosur Road, Kanakapura Road to Krishna Rao Park, Mysuru Road to Sirsi Circle, Magadi Road, Tumakuru Road to Yeshwantpur Junction, Goraguntepalya, K.R. Puram, and Silk Board Junction in Bengaluru. The selected companies will analyze these areas to determine the optimal location for the tunnel road.
