Extension of deadline for Bengaluru Tunnel Road Project

10 Aug 2023 CW Team

Coinciding with this announcement, a private company conducted an exclusive presentation on the project for Shivakumar. Aecom, a renowned international consultancy firm with experience in various tunnel road projects worldwide, including its preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the elevated corridor network project in 2017, submitted a proposal for the tunnel network project the previous month.

The project under discussion, overseen by the Congress government, involves the conversion of a planned 99-kilometer network of elevated corridors crisscrossing the city into tunnel roads. Estimated to cost around Rs 500 billion, the government plans to execute the project through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Shivakumar emphasised the need for the tunnel roads to accommodate at least two vehicles simultaneously, outlining discussions held to devise a comprehensive road infrastructure plan for Bangalore that would alleviate traffic congestion. Over 20,000 recommendations received for easing Bengaluru's traffic have been collated, studied, and forwarded to relevant organisations for further consideration.

However, this move has sparked criticism from civic activists and transportation experts who view it as a narrow-minded approach and a result of limited perspective, metaphorically referring to it as "tunnel vision."

Deputy Chief Minister (DyCM) and Minister for Bengaluru Development, DK Shivakumar, stated that only two companies have shown interest in the Expression of Interest (EoI) proposed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for the construction of the proposed tunnel roads. In response, Shivakumar announced an extension of the deadline to encourage more participation, particularly from international firms. He mentioned that during discussions with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, ideas like tunnel roads and flyovers were suggested to alleviate congestion. Following these discussions, the EoI was initiated. Although two companies have come forward, the deadline has been extended by two days to attract global attention. Shivakumar added that a global tender will also be initiated.Coinciding with this announcement, a private company conducted an exclusive presentation on the project for Shivakumar. Aecom, a renowned international consultancy firm with experience in various tunnel road projects worldwide, including its preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the elevated corridor network project in 2017, submitted a proposal for the tunnel network project the previous month.The project under discussion, overseen by the Congress government, involves the conversion of a planned 99-kilometer network of elevated corridors crisscrossing the city into tunnel roads. Estimated to cost around Rs 500 billion, the government plans to execute the project through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Shivakumar emphasised the need for the tunnel roads to accommodate at least two vehicles simultaneously, outlining discussions held to devise a comprehensive road infrastructure plan for Bangalore that would alleviate traffic congestion. Over 20,000 recommendations received for easing Bengaluru's traffic have been collated, studied, and forwarded to relevant organisations for further consideration.However, this move has sparked criticism from civic activists and transportation experts who view it as a narrow-minded approach and a result of limited perspective, metaphorically referring to it as tunnel vision.

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