Mr Shivakumar said that Bengaluru needs at least a four-lane tunnel road.
Bangalore:
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday said a 190-km tunnel has been proposed to ease traffic congestion in the city and the state government will float public tenders for the same within 45 days.
Addressing a press conference at Vidhana Soudha here, he said, “A 190-km tunnel road has been proposed to combat traffic congestion in Bengaluru and eight companies have qualified for it. These companies will submit a feasibility report and we are preparing to call for public tenders within 45 days.”
These companies will study and report on what the tunnel road should look like, whether it should have four or six lanes, where it should start and end, and a decision should also be made on whether it should be extended across the city, he said. said.
The deputy chief minister, who holds Bengaluru’s urban development portfolio, said since the project is of very large scale and requires a huge amount of funding, it has to be implemented in several phases.
“We have tentatively proposed 190 km. Bellary Road, Old Madras Road, Esteem Mall Junction to Mekhri Circle, Miller Road, Chalukya Circle, Trinity Circle, Sarjapur Road, Hosur Road, Kanakapura Road to Krishna Rao Park, Mysore Road to Sirsi Circle, Magadi Road, Tumakuru Road to Yeshwantpur Junction, Outer Ring Road, Goraguntepalya, KR Puram and Silk Board areas have been identified.
“We have selected these areas on priority. The companies will study where and how this tunnel road can be constructed,” he said.
He said that Bengaluru needs at least a four-lane tunnel road.
Mr Shivakumar also said that now that the monsoon season is over, the chief engineers have been given the responsibility to put pressure on contractors to quickly complete key priority works, including stormwater drainage.
Referring to the massive traffic jams on the Outer Ring Road in Bengaluru last week, Mr Shivakumar said he has discussed the issue with the officials concerned and the traffic police.
He will visit the Outer Ring on October 7.
He also said that the engineers of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike should work with the help of the traffic police to tackle the problem of potholes. At the places identified by the traffic police, BBMP should quickly fill potholes so that they do not cause accidents.
The public can also inform the BBMP commissioner about the potholes, he said, adding, “When it rains, it is normal to get potholes. Such roadblocks will be repaired immediately in key areas of the city,” he added to it.
When asked whether the state would seek the Centre’s help in easing traffic congestion in Bengaluru, he said, “Of course, we will seek help from the Centre. Once these proposals are submitted, we will place the proposal before the Centre.
“I have already met and discussed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Vehicles are arriving in Bengaluru through National Highway causing traffic congestion… I have discussed this issue with him. He also gave me advice and responded positively,” the Deputy Chief Minister said . said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
