Karnataka cabinet greenlights Bengaluru's mega tunnel project for ₹12,690 crore: Report

The Karnataka cabinet has approved a ₹12,690 crore underground mega tunnel road network project to tackle Bengaluru's traffic congestion woes.

Published on: Aug 24, 2024, 12:00:11 IST

By Yamini C S

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The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved two major infrastructure projects aimed at addressing Bengaluru’s chronic traffic congestion. The first is a ground breaking tunnel road project, set to cost an impressive ₹12,690 crore, The Times of India reported.

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This initiative will feature an 18-kilometer twin-tube tunnel extending from Hebbal flyover to the Central Silk Board junction, complete with five entry and exit points. HK Patil, the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister for the state, confirmed that administrative approval has been granted and tenders will be issued soon.

The project, championed by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, is designed to alleviate traffic woes by connecting National Highway 7 with National Highway 14. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had previously urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allocate ₹30,000 crore for the construction of the tunnel network, proposing a joint venture between the state government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

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The execution will be carried out through a public-private partnership, involving significant land acquisitions, including areas from the turf club, golf course, and Bangalore Palace, the report noted.

In addition to the tunnel, the cabinet approved a 250-meter sky deck project, expected to cost ₹500 crore.

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Furthermore, the cabinet sanctioned a proposal for the installation and maintenance of LED street lamps by private firms, costing ₹686 crore, the publication added. This move aims to replace conventional lighting and achieve an estimated annual savings of ₹300 crore in electricity costs. Additionally, 52 new Indira Canteens will also be established at a cost of ₹20 crore to serve newly created wards.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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