<p>Bengaluru: The BBMP — typically slow in carrying out infrastructure projects — has been pushing ahead with the tunnel road proposal at lightning speed. </p><p>This unusual urgency has raised concerns among mobility experts, who describe the plan to build underground roads in Bengaluru as "a myopic idea". They also warn that the project could harm the city for generations as it will become “counter-productive” in less than 10 years. </p><p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has planned to call tenders for the construction of the tunnel road now that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the 18-km Silk Board-Hebbal tunnel road project has been prepared. </p>.'Is Bengaluru your feudal property?' BJP asks D K Shivakumar.<p>The DPR was prepared in just three months against the industry standards of minimum nine months, <em>DH</em> reported on November 6. </p><p>Earlier, the BBMP had hired a separate consulting firm to recommend infrastructure solutions to decongest the city. The consultant had proposed a 54.5 km network of tunnel roads crisscrossing the city and nearly 100 km of elevated roads. </p><p>"City roads have exhausted their lane capacity. Due to heavy built-up areas and high land prices, widening is no longer feasible," the feasibility study had noted. </p>.<p><strong>Induced demand</strong></p><p>Experts argue that the tunnel road may decongest certain stretches, but the overall travel time between the origin and destination will not decrease. Moreover, they say the project will create induced demand, encouraging more people to drive their personal vehicles, which may ultimately lead to further congestion of the newly built infrastructure. </p><p>Prof Ashish Verma, who heads the transportation engineering research lab at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, emphasised that the government must stick to its comprehensive mobility plan of 2030 by increasing the metro network to 315 km and building the suburban rail system. </p><p>"The net effect of using tunnel roads will be zero as congestion will simply shift from one place to another. The focus must be on expanding the public transport network so that at least 80% of the city is able to access it within a walking distance of less than 750 metres," he said. </p><p>However, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has been a strong proponent of tunnel roads, arguing that they are necessary to decongest the city. He also pointed out how car ownership has become easier with EMI options. </p>.<p>Satya Arikutharam, a mobility expert, noted that in London, 75% of people use public transport, even though many own cars. "Cars are like monsters, and the government cannot keep adding new roads, flyovers, or tunnels. There will be no end," he said. </p><p>Stating that Bengaluru’s population will cross 2 crore by 2031, a town planner said a tunnel road here and there would not help in decongesting the city. "We must disincentive usage of cars and make public transport systems more attractive," he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The BBMP — typically slow in carrying out infrastructure projects — has been pushing ahead with the tunnel road proposal at lightning speed. </p><p>This unusual urgency has raised concerns among mobility experts, who describe the plan to build underground roads in Bengaluru as "a myopic idea". They also warn that the project could harm the city for generations as it will become “counter-productive” in less than 10 years. </p><p>The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has planned to call tenders for the construction of the tunnel road now that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the 18-km Silk Board-Hebbal tunnel road project has been prepared. </p>.'Is Bengaluru your feudal property?' BJP asks D K Shivakumar.<p>The DPR was prepared in just three months against the industry standards of minimum nine months, <em>DH</em> reported on November 6. </p><p>Earlier, the BBMP had hired a separate consulting firm to recommend infrastructure solutions to decongest the city. The consultant had proposed a 54.5 km network of tunnel roads crisscrossing the city and nearly 100 km of elevated roads. </p><p>"City roads have exhausted their lane capacity. Due to heavy built-up areas and high land prices, widening is no longer feasible," the feasibility study had noted. </p>.<p><strong>Induced demand</strong></p><p>Experts argue that the tunnel road may decongest certain stretches, but the overall travel time between the origin and destination will not decrease. Moreover, they say the project will create induced demand, encouraging more people to drive their personal vehicles, which may ultimately lead to further congestion of the newly built infrastructure. </p><p>Prof Ashish Verma, who heads the transportation engineering research lab at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, emphasised that the government must stick to its comprehensive mobility plan of 2030 by increasing the metro network to 315 km and building the suburban rail system. </p><p>"The net effect of using tunnel roads will be zero as congestion will simply shift from one place to another. The focus must be on expanding the public transport network so that at least 80% of the city is able to access it within a walking distance of less than 750 metres," he said. </p><p>However, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has been a strong proponent of tunnel roads, arguing that they are necessary to decongest the city. He also pointed out how car ownership has become easier with EMI options. </p>.<p>Satya Arikutharam, a mobility expert, noted that in London, 75% of people use public transport, even though many own cars. "Cars are like monsters, and the government cannot keep adding new roads, flyovers, or tunnels. There will be no end," he said. </p><p>Stating that Bengaluru’s population will cross 2 crore by 2031, a town planner said a tunnel road here and there would not help in decongesting the city. "We must disincentive usage of cars and make public transport systems more attractive," he said.</p>