₹19,000 crore loan for tunnel? Bengaluru MP PC Mohan lists 13 better ways to spend the money

PC Mohan proposed alternative uses for ₹19,000 crore earmarked for a tunnel project, advocating footpaths, health centres, and electric buses and more.

Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan has raised questions about the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) proposal to take a ₹19,000 crore loan to build a 40-km twin tunnel road in the city.

BJP MP from Bangalore Central PC Mohan highlighted 13 alternative ways the massive sum could be better utilised.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mohan highlighted 13 alternative ways the massive sum could be better utilised to address Bengaluru’s pressing urban issues.

Read his post here:

According to Mohan, the ₹19,000 crore could instead be used to lay 10,000 kilometres of footpaths and cycling tracks, fix 80 per cent of the city’s stormwater drains, and create 1,000 start-up incubation centres. He also suggested setting up 1,000 primary health centres, upgrading 2,000 government schools, and funding nearly 70 per cent of Metro Phase 3A.

Mohan's list didn’t stop there. He proposed creating a city-wide air quality monitoring and alert system with 500+ sensors, setting up 500 electric vehicle charging stations, revamping 500 public parks and urban spaces, constructing 200 modern public toilets, installing one lakh CCTV cameras, adding 10,000 electric buses, and building 2,000 anganwadis.

The BBMP’s tunnel project, which includes a North-South corridor from Hebbal to Silk Board and an East-West corridor, is aimed at easing traffic congestion in Bengaluru.

Tunnel project updates

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently confirmed that the state government will soon float tenders for Bengaluru’s proposed tunnel road project. He said that preliminary discussions have already taken place at the cabinet level and with senior police officials.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the first phase of the project will involve the construction of a single tunnel road. The government is currently working on identifying suitable entry and exit points to ensure feasibility and minimal disruption.

“In my opinion, the road should not pass around the Vidhana Soudha,” he said, hinting at concerns related to security and the preservation of the iconic structure.

In addition, the Deputy CM announced that the government has decided to allocate funds for the Cauvery Aarti and will organise the event on a grand scale.