Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has pitched a 190-km tunnel road as the only solution to Bengaluru’s traffic mess. He says it’s inevitable, given the high cost of land acquisition for road widening. His supporters call the tunnel road futuristic, a project that will cut travel time and ease pile-ups.
But critics warn it’s an ₹85,000 crore gamble, one that could worsen congestion, lock the city deeper into car dependency, and serve a wealthy minority while leaving the rest of Bengaluru behind.
And let’s be honest: if you’ve ever lived in or even visited Bengaluru, you know traffic isn’t just an inconvenience here, it’s practically the city’s identity. In 2024, a global index even ranked Bengaluru the third-worst city in the world for traffic.
So when the government proposes something as massive underground tunnel road, of course it grabs attention. But as with every mega-project, the devil is in the details.
And the real question: is this tunnel really the fix for Bengaluru needs, or is it just another expensive distraction?
And if not this, what are the alternate solutions?
Let me explain.
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So what exactly is the Tunnel Road Plan?
The project imagines a 190-km underground corridor for cars. Phase One is a 18-km, three-lane twin tunnel from Hebbal flyover in north Bengaluru to Central Silk Board in the south.
Another corridor from KR Puram to Mysore Road has also been proposed. Together, the two would cost ₹42,000 crore. And if the original 190-km dream is pursued, estimates would cross ₹85,000 crore.
The logic is simple. Bengaluru is choking. Elevated roads are difficult because land acquisition is nearly impossible in a densely built city. Expanding surface roads means chopping thousands of trees. Metro construction is slow.
Officials argue tunnels are a futuristic alternative, pointing to Mumbai’s coastal tunnel as a model. They say Belgian tunneling experts have confirmed the city’s geology is suitable.
So in July 2025, the government invited global bids. And it was decided that the costs will be recovered through hefty tolls, reportedly as high as Rs 660 per trip.
So let’s look at the red flags.
Opposition comes from three fronts: ecological risks, financial costs, and urban mobility.
Nearly half the city depends on borewells. Cutting through that system could disrupt natural flows, leaving borewells dry.
And then there’s flooding. The city already struggles every monsoon; add huge underground cavities, and even one heavy rain or broken pipeline could turn tunnels into giant flood chambers.
On the surface, every tunnel ramp needs several acres of land. Officials have already said 80 acres will have to be acquired. That means more trees cut.
So instead of easing traffic, the project risks trading one crisis for another.
The biggest issue is that there is no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This could be a dangerous oversight, especially after collapses in tunnels under construction in Uttarakhand and Telangana in recent years.
Besides, at Rs 450 crore per kilometre, Bengaluru simply doesn’t have the money for this version of the tunnel project.
Then comes the most fundamental objection. Bengaluru’s problem isn’t missing roads; it’s too many vehicles. Cars occupy eight times more space than buses. Build new car-only infrastructure, and you encourage more car use — a phenomenon called induced demand.
Even government bodies themselves have raised alarms.
Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) warned the tunnel alignment runs close to Metro corridors, risking safety of existing structures. It flagged choke points where ramps are unfeasible without land acquisition.
Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) noted the tunnel conflicts with the Comprehensive Mobility Plan, which targets 70% of trips on public transport by 2035. Car-only tunnels do the opposite.
It also contradicts the city’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to cut transport emissions.
IISc warned that the tunnel could slash Metro ridership by 6.5%, undermining a system built with thousands of crores of public money. They also called car-centric projects inequitable, serving a few while worsening congestion for the many.
Outside the government, hundreds gathered recently to protest the current plan for tunnel road.
Civil society groups argue this isn’t just about traffic. It’s about the social contract, whether Bengaluru’s infrastructure serves the common citizen or just the privileged car-owning elite.
Yes, tunnel roads exist worldwide — Tokyo, London, Sydney, and closer home, Mumbai. But those cities already have robust public transport backbones. Tunnels act as supplements, not substitutes. Bengaluru lacks that foundation.
So what are the better solutions?
Let’s be clear: Bengaluru doesn’t have a road problem, it has a mobility problem. So the fix isn’t more lanes or tunnels, it’s moving more people, more efficiently.
Unless there is a massive shift to public transport, the city will remain gridlocked. Yet in 18 years, Bengaluru has built just 75 km of Metro, compared to nearly 390 km in Delhi. Instead of pouring ₹85,000 crore into tunnels, that money could finish the Metro and build dedicated bus lanes. The suburban rail could reduce the burden from our roads to a great extent.
BMTC buses already carry more people than cars and two-wheelers combined, but the fleet is just 6,600 for a city of 1.3 crore. Bengaluru needs at least 12,000–15,000.
Most people skip public transport because of the first-and-last mile gap. Shared autos, e-bikes, feeder shuttles, and safe walking/cycling paths can fix this. Cities like London and Singapore invest heavily here, Bengaluru barely has.
In most countries, new IT parks or malls can’t break ground without a traffic impact assessment. Bengaluru has no such rule, which is why a single SEZ can choke an entire corridor. So bring in integrated land-use planning.
This isn’t just about traffic. It’s about choosing the kind of city Bengaluru wants to be.
Do we spend billions on a car-only tunnel serving a few? Or invest in affordable, reliable transport for everyone?
Because the real solution isn’t underground. It’s out here — in buses, trains, bikes, and pavements.
And the real question isn’t can we build a tunnel.
It’s: Why should we, when all the evidence says it won’t solve the problem
Before I go here’s a quick reminder to read my colleague Nidhi’s suresh’s story on the Kerala nun who had accused Bishop Franco of sexual assault. She has broken her silence for the first time. And this long piece , I assure you, is worth your while.
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Produced by Megha Mukundan, script by Pooja Prasanna, research by Megha Mukundan and Neelima Indraganti, camera by Ajay R, edited by Nikhil Sekhar ET, graphics by Dharini Prabharan.