Karnataka will invest ₹1 lakh crore to ease Bengaluru traffic: DK Shivakumar

Karnataka government plans to invest ₹1 lakh crore to improve Bengaluru's traffic congestion, including a 40-km twin tunnel and a 41-km double-decker corridor.

In an effort to tackle Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion, the Karnataka government plans to invest ₹1 lakh crore, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced at the Invest Karnataka Global Investors Meet. With the city’s vehicle numbers soaring, the government aims to implement large-scale infrastructure projects to improve mobility. Bengaluru already has the highest number of vehicles when compared to other capital cities in the country.

A recent traffic jam in north Bengaluru left commuters frustrated. (X/BengaluruPost)

Where will ₹1 lakh crore go?

The proposed initiatives reportedly include a 40-km twin tunnel, estimated to cost ₹42,500 crore, and a 41-km double-decker corridor that integrates both road and Metro rail, with an investment of ₹18,000 crore. Additionally, the government has planned a 110-km elevated corridor worth ₹15,000 crore and 320 km of buffer roads, for which ₹5,000 crore has been allocated.

Other planned projects include a ₹500-crore Sky Deck, a 74-km Bengaluru Business Corridor with a budget of ₹27,000 crore, and the development of a second airport to accommodate growing needs of the tech capital.

Meanwhile, DK Shivakumar did not mention expansions of mass transit systems such as suburban rail or Metro buses. Highlighting the rapid urban expansion, he recalled that Bengaluru had a population of 70 lakh two decades ago, which has now doubled to 1.4 crore, with 1.1 crore registered vehicles. He emphasized that the Bengaluru Business Corridor (Peripheral Ring Road) would be a key solution to the city’s traffic woes.

Shivakumar has been advocating for tunnel roads, sky decks, double-decker flyovers, and Metro extensions reaching Bengaluru’s outskirts, along with an amusement park near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in Mandya. However, critics point out that several existing infrastructure projects in the city remain stalled, raising concerns over the execution of these new initiatives.

Bengaluru is already facing many civic issues and frequent traffic jams on daily basis. The entire city is now facing congestion to due to various civic infrastructure works and ongoing Aero India Show that was scheduled till Friday. The residents urge the Karnataka government to find solutions for crumbling infrastructure before roping in new projects.