Hours after meeting BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who has opposed the tunnel road project in Bengaluru, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on October 29, said the MP failed to offer alternatives to ease the city’s traffic congestion.
Tejasvi urged the state to scrap the “car-only” multi-crore tunnel road project and invest instead in public transport. However, Shivakumar hit back, saying MPs should focus on securing funds rather than offering advice.
“Anybody can give suggestions. But funds are required for (transport and infrastructure) works. What can be done without money?” he said. He also called on Tejasvi and other BJP MPs to approach the Prime Minister for financial assistance for Bengaluru.
Countering Tejasvi’s argument that stronger public transport could discourage private vehicle use, Shivakumar said: “Can I stop you from bringing your vehicle? It’s a matter of social responsibility. People prefer to travel in their own vehicles with their families. Can we prevent them from using their cars? If needed, MPs can appeal to their constituents to leave their cars at home and use public transport. Let us see how many actually follow that. Today, people even hesitate to marry a boy who doesn’t own a car.”
He added, “If you don’t have a car, you won’t get a bride at home, that’s the mindset. The PM should be approached to get the funds. Everyone gives advice, but funds are necessary. How many people travel by bus, anyway? For everyone, status matters, even officials travel by car.”
Earlier, Tejasvi said the proposed tunnel would cater to just 1,800 cars per hour in one direction, compared to a metro line that could move nearly 69,000 passengers at the same cost. “We should focus on moving more people, not more cars,” the MP said.
He proposed a citywide transport plan comprising a 300-km metro network with three-minute train frequency, a 314-km suburban rail system, tram services for short distances, and high-frequency shuttle buses along the Outer Ring Road to improve last-mile connectivity. He also called for expediting the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) and appointing a full-time chairperson to coordinate urban transport projects.
Responding to this, Shivakumar said that the state was already expanding metro lines and was not opposed to Tejasvi’s ideas. “But I told him to get more funds from the Union government for the metro. Right now, we receive only 10–12% of the total project cost. I urge all Bengaluru MPs to meet the PM. I’ll join them too,” he said.
On concerns about the tunnel alignment near Lalbagh, Shivakumar said the project would not take up six acres of the botanical garden. “The entry and exit points for the tunnel will be located on the edge of Lalbagh. If not here, I asked him to suggest an alternative location,” he said.
During the meeting, Tejasvi asked the state government to allow private players to operate small buses in Bengaluru. “Vehicle numbers are already high in Bengaluru,” Shivakumar replied, adding that allowing such buses would only worsen congestion.