Tunnel Road Project: D K Shivakumar Hits Out At Detractors, Says Project Won't Stop

Karnataka government has planned to build a-18km four-lane tunnel road from Hebbal Flyover to Central Silk Board Junction at a cost of Rs 12,690 crore.

Bengaluru:Hitting out at the opposition BJP and others opposing the proposed tunnel road project in Bengaluru, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday indirectly said that the project won't stop under any circumstances.

"I have heard some people are criticising the tunnel road project. The BJP had criticised when the steel bridge was planned (during the first tenure of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah). Let them continue to criticise. I will reply to them in the session. I am open to consider if they give good and viable suggestions," Shivakumar reacted to BJP's plan to launch protests against the project.

He said that the tunnel road project is part of a long-lasting solution to Bengaluru's traffic woes. "If you drop the tunnel road project and decide to widen all city roads, we require about Rs three lakh crore only for the land acquisition. So tunnel road is the only viable option given the present condition," he said.

Besides tunnel road, the Karnataka government has also planned to build double-decker (road-cum-metro) flyovers in the city wherever new metro lines are proposed. About 300 kms of new roads are planned in the buffer zones along the stormwater drains. "We will implement these projects in a phased manner and we need time for these projects to be realised," he said.

'Let Mohandas Pai join politics'

Hitting out at businessman Mohandas Pai for criticising him and the BBMP over the deteriorating infrastructure in Bengaluru city, Shivakumar asked the former to join politics to realise how the system works.

"I have great respect for him. He has contributed a lot for the city's development. But I request him to contest the election and become an MLA or an MP. Then only he can understand the difficulties here," the Deputy Chief Minister said.