Students, environmental groups rally against Bengaluru's costly tunnel road project: Report

Bengaluru student groups and environmental activists protested against the proposed 17-km tunnel project, slamming the government over environmental concerns.

Student groups and environmental organisations in Bengaluru staged a brief demonstration inside the city's Lalbagh Botanical Gardens on Saturday, voicing their opposition to the proposed 17-km tunnel connecting Silk Board and Hebbal.

Protestors argued that the costly tunnel project in Bengaluru threatens local ecology and exacerbates existing urban issues such as waterlogging. (AI generated image- Google Gemini)

The protest was organised by the All India Students Association (AISA) and Fridays For Future - Karnataka, said a report by The Hindu. The groups accused the government of pushing forward with the massive, multi-crore project despite expert objections and unresolved issues in the Detailed Project Report (DPR).

According to the organisers, the twin-tunnel plan, estimated to cost between ₹17,000 crore and ₹20,000 crore, would be one of Karnataka’s most expensive transport projects. They argued that such spending is unreasonable, especially when metro fares have just been increased due to funding shortages. The groups also criticised authorities for greenlighting the project without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or crucial studies on geology, hydrology, and local biodiversity, the report said.

Activists warned that extensive underground excavation could destabilise soil strata, alter groundwater movement, and aggravate Bengaluru’s frequent flooding and drainage problems.

In a separate statement, Leader of Opposition R Ashok also slammed the Congress government, claiming the tunnel project would damage environmentally sensitive areas, said the report.

Environmental historian Ramachandra Guha also denounced the planned tunnel road, calling it an example of policymakers ignoring scientific input, as per a separate report. Speaking at the tenth Nature inFocus festival in Bengaluru, Guha said India possesses extensive scientific expertise across fields such as ecology, hydrology, agronomy, conservation biology, and urban planning, yet these experts are rarely consulted when major projects are conceived.

He remarked that although India’s research institutions now match global standards, governments at both state and central levels behave as though they are “knowledge-proof.” Referring to the Bengaluru tunnel plan, he said it was “tragic” that the project is being advanced without consulting top transport and energy specialists who are based in the city.

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