Bengaluru, 2 Nov

BJP leaders on Sunday launched a signature campaign and held a silent protest at Lalbagh botanical garden in Bengaluru against the Karnataka government’s proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru, denouncing it as a “VIP corridor” that would damage the City and its environment.

The protest, held under the banner “Protect Bengaluru – Stop Tunnel Road”, was led by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, along with several party legislators. The leaders interacted with morning walkers and members of the public, alleging that the project would have a severe environmental impact on Lalbagh and its surroundings. They claimed that six acres of Lalbagh land would be acquired.

Reacting to the agitation, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he was willing to form a committee headed by Ashoka to examine the project and consider its recommendations. Dismissing the BJP’s criticism, he said the project was for public benefit, adding, “I’m not a fool to destroy Lalbagh.” Shivakumar accused the BJP of politicising the issue and said the Congress could also organise a signature drive if needed. He added that the BJP “is zero without the RSS”.

 The proposed 16.75km tunnel road between Silk Board and Hebbal is estimated to cost around Rs 17,800 crore. Ashoka claimed the project would serve only car users, excluding the majority of Bengaluru commuters, since two-wheelers would not be allowed. He said 70 per cent of Bengaluru’s vehicles are two-wheelers and called the tunnel “a VIP project”. 

Ashoka said the Bengaluru civic body would need to borrow Rs 8,000 crore, and accused the government of calling tenders without clearances from the Geological Survey of India despite the tunnel passing 130 feet beneath Lalbagh, a protected monument. He questioned whether the project would solve traffic problems and criticised the government for failing to meet its 31 October deadline to fill potholes, with officials reporting 25,000 still pending.

Surya called the scheme “by the rich and for the rich”, citing its high projected toll of Rs 20,000 per month and its limited capacity of 1,800 vehicles per hour. He said the same funding could build over 300 km of metro and argued that public transport, which carries 60,000 commuters per hour, was the only viable solution. He also alleged that the DPR itself shows Rs 7,500 crore viability gap funding would be needed, making the project financially unsustainable.

Shivakumar retorted that Surya should secure suburban rail from the Centre if he wants it implemented, and questioned where a BRTS corridor could be placed in the City.