Bengaluru tunnel road draws criticism as citizen groups call it a real estate project in disguise

Citizen groups in Bengaluru have described the proposed Hebbal–Silk Board tunnel road as a “real estate project in disguise”, arguing that the project’s development plans could work against its stated objective of reducing traffic congestion.

The criticism centres on the proposed 16.7-km tunnel connecting Hebbal and Central Silk Board and the development opportunities associated with parts of the project. The Hindu reported that citizen groups have questioned whether the project is being shaped as much by real-estate considerations as by transport needs.

The concern is part of a wider dispute over how Bengaluru should tackle its chronic traffic congestion. Critics have argued that large road projects aimed primarily at private vehicles can shift congestion rather than solve the underlying transport problem.

The proposed tunnel has faced criticism on several fronts. The Indian Express reported in January 2025 that the project's detailed project report had drawn questions from mobility experts and citizen groups over its environmental assessment, traffic assumptions and ability to achieve meaningful decongestion. The report also recorded the government’s position that the tunnel would provide faster connectivity and help reduce congestion on surface roads.

The project has also attracted opposition over its proposed use of land at Lalbagh. In 2025, environmental groups and citizen organisations raised concerns about the impact of construction activity on the botanical garden. Hindustan Times reported that the government had faced criticism over plans involving parts of Lalbagh for the tunnel project.

Questions have also been raised about the project's cost and financing structure. Bangalore Mirror reported in February 2026 that the proposed six-lane, twin-tube tunnel would run for 16.74 km and that the government would provide viability-gap funding, while the concessionaire would operate and maintain the tunnel under the proposed arrangement. The report said Adani Group had emerged as the lowest bidder, with the bid above the government's estimated project cost.

The project’s supporters, however, have maintained that the tunnel is intended to improve connectivity between north and south Bengaluru and reduce pressure on existing roads. Government officials have also defended the technical feasibility of the project. The Indian Express, in an August 2025 report, quoted the B-SMILE technical director on the suitability of Bengaluru’s terrain for tunnelling and addressed concerns surrounding the project.

That leaves Bengaluru with a larger policy question: whether the city’s limited infrastructure spending should prioritise additional road capacity or stronger public transport and surface-level mobility improvements.

For citizen groups, the concern is not simply whether the tunnel can move vehicles underground. It is whether the project, including the development and land-use decisions surrounding it, will ultimately deliver the congestion relief promised to Bengaluru residents.

For the government, the challenge is to demonstrate that the tunnel’s costs, land requirements and wider urban impacts are justified by measurable improvements in mobility.

Sources https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/tunnel-road-a-real-estate-project-in-disguise-contend-citizen-groups/article71321305.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/bengaluru-tunnel-road-dpr-malegaon-nashik-9763458/