Tunnel road a ‘real estate project in disguise’, contend citizen groups
Citizen groups in Bengaluru are opposing a proposed tunnel road project, labeling it a 'real estate project in disguise' due to the inclusion of commercial retail spaces. Critics argue the project prioritizes developer revenue over evidence-based urban planning.
Why it matters
The controversy highlights the tension between large-scale infrastructure development and public interest, particularly regarding land use and transparency.
Citizens opposing the Congress government’s ambitious tunnel road project have termed it “a real estate project in disguise.” The citizens’ group Bengaluru Praja Vedike (BPV), which is at the forefront of the campaign against the project, has written to all the city’s MLAs and MPs, urging them to reject it.
In a letter addressed to them, the group has termed it a “vanity infrastructure that repeats flyover failures” and urged them to embrace “evidence-based planning”. They have alleged that ancillary revenue in the form of real estate is being given “free” to the concessionaire, which they estimate could be as high as ₹30,000 crore for the entire concession period.
Coming ahead of the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka legislature, starting on August 13, this is expected to give the Opposition further ammunition, keen to put Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in a tight spot.
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