The tunnel road project is considered one of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s most ambitious initiatives. Recently, Shivakumar appealed to the Union Government to allocate funds for Bengaluru’s key infrastructure projects in the upcoming Union Budget for 2025-26. In a letter addressed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he stressed the necessity of financial backing for projects like tunnel roads, double-decker flyovers, the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) business corridor, and water supply initiatives, which together are estimated to cost around Rs 909.16 billion. As the Union Budget approaches, with its presentation scheduled for February 1, the Karnataka Government has highlighted Bengaluru’s growing infrastructure requirements. The letter underlined the city’s rapid population growth and its significance to India’s technological and economic development. Shivakumar reportedly pointed out that Bengaluru, home to nearly 100.5 million residents, has merged as a global hub for technology and investment. To sustain its position as the “Silicon Valley of India,” he argued, substantial infrastructure upgrades are critical. In light of Bengaluru’s limited space for road widening, Shivakumar proposed tunnel roads as a solution to alleviate traffic congestion. The north-south tunnel road project, spanning 18.5 km from Esteem Mall in Hebbal to Silk Board Junction in HSR Layout, is estimated to cost Rs 150 billion. Additionally, another 28.5 km tunnel road, from KR Puram Junction to Nayandahalli Junction, is projected to require Rs 250 billion. The state government has pledged Rs 190 billion as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for these projects, and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Hebbal-Silk Board twin-tube tunnel has already been prepared and shared for public consultation. Building on the success of the double-decker flyover near the Metro’s Yellow Line from Ragigudda to Silk Board Junction, the Karnataka Government plans to implement a similar model in Phase 4 of the metro expansion. This phase, covering 45 km between JP Nagar and Hebbal, as well as from Hosahalli to Kadabagere, requires an additional Rs 89.16 billion. To ease traffic congestion at major hotspots, the government has proposed the construction of 17 flyovers spanning 99.50 km at an estimated cost of Rs 120 billion. Furthermore, Shivakumar mentioned plans to develop 300 km of buffer zone roads along rivers, lakes, and stormwater drains, at a cost of Rs 30 billion, to prevent encroachments. News source: Indian Express