DK Shivakumar links car ownership to marriage while debating Bengaluru traffic. Here's what he said: Report

The argument over Bengaluru's contentious tunnel road project took a fresh turn as DK Shivakumar linked marriage prospects to car ownership.

Bengaluru's long-running battle over it’s proposed tunnel road took an unexpected turn on Tuesday, not over engineering plans or traffic data, but over marriage prospects. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, in a sharp rebuttal to Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, quipped, “People even hesitate to marry a boy who doesn't own a car.”

DK Shivakumar countered Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya's push for public transport investment by questioning the marriage prospects of a boy who does not own a car. (PTI)

The remark came after Surya met Shivakumar to oppose the highly controversial and expensive “car-only” tunnel project, arguing that funds should instead be channelled into expanding the Metro, suburban rail, and last-mile shuttle networks. Surya cited data showing that the tunnel would move only 1,800 cars per hour in one direction, while a Metro line could carry nearly 69,000 passengers for a similar investment. He also pitched a 300-km Metro grid, 314-km suburban rail system, and modern tram services for Bengaluru.

Shivakumar, however, countered that mobility decisions cannot ignore social realities. “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,” Shivakumar said, as quoted in a report by The Times of India.

He added that instead of merely criticising projects, Bengaluru’s MPs should push the Centre for more funds. Karnataka gets only 10 to 12 per cent of the Metro project cost from the Union government, Shivakumar said, adding that all the MPs should meet the Prime Minister about this matter.

Bengaluru has recently seen multiple debates recently on the sustainability of personal vehicles against that of mass transit systems to battle its infamous traffic congestion woes.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.