Bengaluru's new Hebbal-Silk Board Junction tunnel road to charge ₹330 toll for 16.6 km: Report

Bengaluru's new toll for a 16.6 km tunnel road from Hebbal to Silk Board Junction is set at ₹330 for cars, with annual increases capped at 40 per cent.

The proposed toll for Bengaluru's upcoming twin-tube tunnel road, connecting Hebbal and Silk Board Junction, has raised concerns with commuters and residents.

The toll system is designed with a 40 per cent cap on the annual rise. (Representational Image)

According to a report by Indian Express, the toll for a 16.6 km stretch of road is set at ₹330 for cars, with toll charges expected to increase annually by 5 per cent based on the wholesale price index. The toll system is designed with a 40 per cent cap on the annual rise, and the base year for toll revenue calculations is set for FY 2030-31.

However, it’s important to note that the toll estimates have been proposed solely for cars, leaving other vehicles unaccounted for in the calculations. The toll structure, detailed in the report, covers various other routes in Bengaluru as well, the report added.

For instance, a toll of ₹320 is estimated for the Hebbal-Sarjapur/HSR Layout route (16.3 km), ₹250 for the Hebbal-Hosur Main Road (12.79 km), ₹180 for Hebbal-Seshadri Road (9.05 km), and ₹320 for the Outer Ring Road, K R Puram-Silk Board Junction. Other tolls include ₹245 for the Mekhri Circle to Silk Board Junction (12.54 km) and ₹195 for Race Course to Silk Board Junction (9.8 km).

Tunnel project blunder

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) recently fined New Delhi-based Rodic Consultants Private Limited ₹5 lakh after glaring errors were discovered in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a proposed ₹9.5 crore underground tunnel road project in Bengaluru, Moneycontrol reported.

The report, prepared by Rodic Consultants Private Limited, outlines plans for a tunnel connecting Hebbal Esteem Mall Junction to Silk Board Junction.

According to Moneycontrol, the project, which promises to ease traffic congestion and reduce travel time, was completed in just three months. However, the DPR’s executive summary raised eyebrows when it mistakenly included traffic data from cities in Maharashtra—Malegaon and Nashik, and not Bengaluru locations, the report added.