Bengaluru tunnel road project sparks debate over feasibility and environmental impact

In a bold attempt to tackle Bengaluru’s escalating traffic crisis, the Karnataka government has proposed the construction of a 16.75-kilometre underground tunnel road between Hebbal and Central Silk Board. The government has set a three-year deadline for completing the ambitious project. However, experts have expressed serious concerns over the timeline and raised questions about the environmental and structural implications of such an undertaking in a city already facing immense urban stress.

According to the plan prepared by Bangalore Smart Infrastructure Ltd, the tunnel will be a three-lane subterranean road constructed in two phases, with funding drawn from both the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and private partners. Eight Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are expected to be deployed at key construction points across the city, including Hebbal, Palace Road, Lalbagh, and Central Silk Board. The project aims to offer a seamless travel experience beneath one of the city’s most congested corridors.

However, urban planners and civil engineers have voiced concerns about the project's environmental impact and potential to disrupt existing infrastructure. The tunnel route may interfere with water bodies such as lakes and underground aquifers, threatening the city’s already fragile water systems. There is also the possibility of damaging Namma Metro’s existing underground routes, which lie close to the proposed tunnel alignment. Experts argue that the challenges posed by such a project outweigh its potential benefits and have urged the government to instead invest in enhancing public transportation infrastructure, which would be more sustainable and inclusive.

The project will be implemented in two major packages. The first package covers the stretch from Esteem Mall in Hebbal to Seshadri Road, with BBMP providing ₹3,508 crore and the remaining ₹5,262 crore expected from private entities. The second package runs from Seshadri Road to the Central Silk Board Junction, involving a similar public-private funding model, with BBMP contributing ₹3,571 crore and private investment of ₹5,357 crore.