The Deputy Minister says widening roads in the city is impractical due to dense construction and high cost of land acquisition. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the construction of a tunnel between Hebbal and the Central Silk Board is the most viable solution to ease traffic congestion in Bengaluru.
Responding to the debate on urban development, he said that road widening within the city was impractical due to dense construction and high cost of land acquisition. He added that congestion at the Goraguntepalya junction on Tumakuru Road – one of the busiest junctions in the city – could also be addressed with a tunnel or an underpass.
Bombay Tunnel Road
Comparing with other cities, Mr. Shivakumar noted that Mumbai is building six to seven tunnel roads and said that Bengaluru has limited alternatives to solve its traffic problems. He estimated that around ₹3,000 crore would be required for land acquisition and ₹17,000 crore for the construction of tunnel roads. “Our tunnel road projects are estimated at ₹ 700-800 crore per km compared to ₹ 1,300-1,400 crore per km in other states,” he said.
Responding to corruption concerns, he said strict action has been initiated against officials allegedly taking bribes for issuing e-Khatas, with instructions to suspend those involved. Out of around 25 lakh properties in the city, A-khatas have been issued to nine lakh properties, he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister also announced plans to build an “Artificial Intelligence City” on 8,000 acres near Bidadi in Bengaluru South district, a proposal earlier mooted by Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Compared to Hyderabad, Mr. Shivakumar said Bengaluru is among the world’s top technology hubs and does not have to compete with other cities. He cited reports that ranked Bengaluru sixth globally behind cities like Beijing, while Hyderabad was ranked 26th.
The power of the city
Highlighting the city’s strengths, he said Bengaluru has around 26,000 IT professionals and hosts nearly 400 Fortune 500 companies. “California’s Silicon Valley has about 13.5 million engineers, while Bengaluru has around 26 million engineers. That’s Bengaluru’s strength,” he said, adding that there is also a push to develop world-class schools in the city.
Published – 26 March 2026 22:55 IST
