The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the local planning and development authority of Bengaluru, has been excluded from discussions regarding the proposed tunnel roads in the city. The Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, has been leading the talks on these tunnel roads, with the BBMP kept out of the deliberations.
A consulting agency called AECOM Asia Co Ltd, which previously prepared a Detailed Feasibility Report (DFR) for the 92.195 km elevated corridors (EC) project in 2017, has now provided a design and estimation for the tunnel roads. These tunnels are planned to be built on the same six corridors where the elevated corridors were proposed. Similar to the EC project, the agency has suggested a hybrid annuity mode for the newly proposed tunnel project.
The EC project was assigned to the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited, but it did not take off after the DFR was prepared in 2017. The estimated cost of the project was ₹22,666.95 crore, and it was planned to be implemented in three phases.
In the first phase of the tunnel road project, the tunnels will connect Yelahanka and Central Silk Board in the North to South Corridor, and Mekhri Circle and Cantonment in the East-West Corridor (K.R. Puram to Cantonment). The estimated cost for the 50-km road is approximately ₹22,000 crore at ₹450 crore per km, according to an official in the Deputy Chief Minister’s office. A presentation on the project was recently made to the Deputy Chief Minister.
However, officials from the BBMP, which is responsible for maintenance and development in the city, were not involved in the discussions on the tunnel road project. The Bengaluru Development Minister believes that the BBMP should focus on maintenance rather than executing projects. While this view may hold some truth, given that the BBMP is the local planning and development authority, it could still be involved in the project in some capacity, according to a senior BBMP official.
Another senior official suggested that the BBMP could hire consulting agencies for various project-related activities. The official also highlighted that the BBMP should have been informed about the proposals and given the opportunity to provide suggestions. However, there seems to be a lack of clarity about the implementing agency and model for the project, as stated by an official from the Urban Development Department. The high project cost makes many models seem unworkable, added the official.
In summary, the BBMP has been excluded from discussions on the proposed tunnel roads in Bengaluru, led by the Bengaluru Development Minister. A consulting agency has provided a design and estimation for the project, which is planned to be built on the same corridors as the previously proposed elevated corridors. The BBMP, responsible for maintenance and development, has not been involved in the project discussions, despite being the local planning and development authority. There is a lack of clarity about the implementing agency and model for the project, and the high project cost poses challenges for finding feasible solutions.
