BENGALURU: Bengaluru, India’s technology and innovation powerhouse, is on the verge of one of its most ambitious infrastructure expansions yet. With a population exceeding 12 million and a sprawling IT/ITES ecosystem, the city faces mounting pressure on roads, public transport, water supply, waste management and urban amenities.
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On 10 August 2025, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar sent a note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlining a comprehensive set of projects aimed at transforming Bengaluru into a “truly global metropolis.”The proposed plan, totalling an estimated Rs 1.5 lakh crore, spans urban tunnels, elevated roads, mass transit upgrades, integrated waste management, and water infrastructure.
Urban Tunnels and Elevated CorridorsThe plan identifies the city’s former national highways — 76 km of critical urban corridors — as chokepoints that need urgent upgrades. Current traffic levels have pushed the Level of Service (LOS) to below 10 kmph, far exceeding the LOS “F” threshold.Proposed interventions include:
- Tunnel 1: Hosur Road to Bellary Road (NH-7)
- Tunnel 2: KR Puram to Mysuru Road (NH-4/NH-275)
- Elevated corridor: Kanakapura Road for uninterrupted transit
- Estimated cost: Rs 41,780 crore
These interventions aim to reduce travel times on congested routes by 60–70% while minimising surface disruption. Additional elevated corridors are proposed along major arterial roads to connect business districts efficiently, with an estimated cost of Rs 15,000 croreAlso read: Bengaluru blues: The hidden cracks in megacity’s shining growth storyPeripheral Ring Road (PRR)To relieve congestion on the Outer Ring Road and city highways, Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) is implementing a 73.5 km, 8-lane Peripheral Ring Road under a PPP model. The PRR is expected to.
- Divert highway traffic from the city center
- Reduce travel times
- Route heavy vehicles efficiently
- Estimated cost: Rs 27,000 crore (land acquisition: Rs 21,000 crore; construction: Rs 6,000 crore)
Revenue generation is expected through tolls, impact fees and advertising, while central assistance is requested to support the project.
Image Credit: TOI
Integrated Solid Waste ManagementBengaluru generates approximately 6,500 metric tonnes of solid waste daily. Current processing capacity is insufficient due to land constraints.The proposal includes:
- Four 100-acre waste management facilities at city corners
- Wet waste composting and bio-CNG units
- Dry waste recycling
- Waste-to-Energy (RDF-based) plants
- Leachate treatment and green buffers
Estimated cost: Rs 3,200 crore, with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support of Rs 960 crore sought under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0.
Metro Rail ExpansionBengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is in various phases of expansion:
- Phase 1: 42 km (operational)
- Phase 2: 75 km (partly operational)
- Phase 2A & 2B: 69 km (under construction)
- Phase 3: 44.65 km (sanctioned)
- Phase 3A: 37 km (DPR approved, pending approval)
Image Credit: TOI
Five new metro extensions covering 128 km are planned to connect peripheral regions and satellite towns, aiming to integrate mass transit into the city’s growth framework.Double-Decker Elevated Roads Along Metro ViaductsFollowing the Yellow Line’s success (Silk Board–Ragigudda), Karnataka proposes extending double-decker roads to:
- JP Nagar to Hebbal (via ORR West)
- Hosahalli to Kadabagere (via Magadi Road East)
This approach optimises land vertically, reduces congestion, and combines road and metro infrastructure efficiently.
Hebbal Flyover (Image Credit: TOI)
Estimated cost: Rs 5,916 croreProtecting Lakes and Reducing CongestionBengaluru’s lakes are connected through SWDs (Raja Kaluves). Encroachment and traffic congestion prompted a plan to construct 300 km of roads along stormwater buffer zones, improving mobility while protecting hydrology.Estimated cost: Rs 3,000 croreAdditional Water SupplyThe Cauvery Water Supply Scheme Stage V is operational, while Stage VI aims to supply an additional 570 MLD by 2030 to meet the city’s growing demand.Estimated cost: Rs 6,939 crore.Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS)Inspired by the Delhi–Meerut RRTS, Bengaluru proposes a regional rapid transit system connecting key corridors
| Corridor |
Length (Km) |
Travel Time (Min) |
| Bengaluru – Bidadi – Mysuru |
145 |
102 |
| Bengaluru – Harohalli – Kanakapura |
60 |
42 |
| Bengaluru – Nelamangala – Tumakuru |
60 |
42 |
| Bengaluru – Airport – Chikkaballapur |
64 |
46 |
| Bengaluru – Hoskote – Kolar |
65 |
46 |
The plan aims to integrate regional transit with city-level infrastructure.The Broader DebateWhile the government positions the tunnel and elevated corridor projects as technical solutions to traffic woes, critics argue the focus remains car-centric.Environmental concerns also loom large. Tunnels intersect aquifers and flood-prone zones, with incomplete hydrological studies raising questions about climate resilience.
Image Credit: TOI
Transport economists note that funds allocated to tunnels could instead purchase thousands of buses, extend metro lines, or fund free BMTC travel for years.The Ambitious tunnel road projectBengaluru’s ambitious tunnel road project — pegged at Rs 17,698 crore — aims to become India’s costliest intra-city transport corridor. Stretching nearly 16.75 km, the fully underground expressway is designed to provide a high-speed, signal-free route between Silk Board Junction and Hebbal, potentially easing the city’s notorious north–south traffic congestion.
Image Credit: TOI
Officials claim that once operational, the tunnel will reduce travel time by up to 45 minutes, bringing the Silk Board–Hebbal commute down from 60–90 minutes to just about 20–25 minutes.The corridor is expected to bypass 25 major bottlenecks, offering Bengaluru commuters a smoother drive along one of the city’s busiest arterial stretches.Advanced Engineering Meets Deep-Bore TunnelsThe project plans to employ tunnel boring machines (TBMs) similar to those used in metro rail projects. Safety and operational efficiency are integral to the design
- Emergency exits every 500 metres
- Ventilation shafts along the route
- Firefighting systems
- Real-time monitoring units
The corridor is designed as a 3+3-lane expressway, although experts have recommended revising the configuration to 2+2 lanes based on projected traffic in 2041.Environmental ConcernsThe proposed alignment passes directly beneath Lalbagh — Bengaluru’s cherished green lung and a living heritage site. Environmentalists and citizen activists have raised multiple red flags:
- Acquisition of six acres of Lalbagh land along Siddapura Road could disrupt its delicate ecosystem.
- Two 15-metre-diameter tunnels, two 10-metre-diameter ramps, and a ventilation shaft are planned under the garden, at depths between 50 and 100 metres.
- Potential damage to Lalbagh Rock, a Peninsular Gneiss National Geological Monument estimated to be 3,000 million years old, and the 16th-century watchtower built by Kempegowda.
- Ventilation shafts could raise noise and air pollution, affecting the garden and nearby areas.
- Concerns over Lalbagh Lake, with tunnel entry points less than 100 feet from the water’s edge.
Environmentalist Dr Yellappa Reddy warned that disruptions to the Dharwad craton system could have wider geological and hydrological repercussions, including water seepage into the Nimhans complex. Citizens for Citizens founder Rajkumar Dugar highlighted gaps in the DPR regarding tree removal and environmental mitigation measures.Expert Panel Flags Major DPR ShortcomingsA government-appointed committee, led by BMRCL executive director Siddanagouda Hegaraddi, reviewed the detailed project report (DPR) and found multiple flaws:
- Geotechnical data inadequate: Soil-test boreholes were limited to four points; comprehensive testing needed
- Aquifer and groundwater mapping missing: Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was not used
- Stormwater drainage plan flawed: Hydraulic calculations missing; proposed Hebbal Lake diversion impractical
- Tunnel alignment concerns: Runs almost parallel to Namma Metro corridor, potentially redundant
- Traffic projections inflated: DPR did not account for Metro, suburban rail, or BMTC commuters
- Ramp and lane mismatch: Current 3+3-lane design inconsistent with horizon year 2041; 2+2-lane design recommended
- Cost estimation gaps: TBM cost based on a single vendor quote; land acquisition, utilities, and toll system costs rounded off
- The panel recommended a complete revision of the DPR, including a fresh alignment study, updated traffic forecasts, and rigorous environmental safeguards.
Cars vs Public TransitShivakumar defended the project as necessary for urban mobility. His remark — “people can’t be stopped from using cars” and “there’s hesitation to marry a boy who doesn’t own a car” — sparked sharp criticism from public transport advocates.
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya argued the project favors a car-owning elite.“As per RTO records, only 12% of Bengalureans own cars. The more we widen and build new roads, the more vehicles we attract. Only a reliable and efficient public transport system can truly decongest our roads.”Surya noted that the tunnel’s capacity — around 1,600 cars per hour — pales in comparison to Metro corridors, which can move 10,000–20,000 passengers per hour. One-way travel costs would also favor private car users: Rs 330 versus Rs 50–60 for Metro commuters.Shivakumar responded that technical experts support the project and said urban rail initiatives are welcome if funding is secured.What’s Choking Bengaluru?According to article from AFP, entrepreneur RK Misra, co-founder of a multimillion-dollar start-up, avoids scheduling in-person meetings until nearly noon, then squeezes them in before the city’s gridlock returns.“The situation is pretty bad. And it hurts by not being able to plan your day,” Misra said, describing his gruelling 16-kilometre (nine-mile) commute, which can take up to two hours at peak times.“It also discourages people from doing anything other than work, because there’s no work-life balance any more.”Bengaluru, home to nearly 12 million people and the state capital of Karnataka, is the country’s tech hub, hosting thousands of start-ups, outsourcing firms, and global giants from Google to Microsoft.Yet its flagship Outer Ring Road (ORR) business district is clogged with traffic, riddled with potholes, and often flooded during the monsoon. Water shortages plague the city during summer months.The roughly 20-kilometre (12-mile) ORR corridor, lined with swanky tech parks, hosts dozens of Fortune 500 offices and more than a million employees.Frustration boiled over in September when Rajesh Yabaji, CEO of digital trucking logistics platform BlackBuck, announced he was moving his company out of ORR.Yabaji said he snapped after the “average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hours (one way),” he wrote on social media, adding that the roads were “full of potholes and dust, coupled with lowest intent to get them rectified.”‘Now Or Never’Pharma tycoon Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon, also voiced concern.“I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said; ‘Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the government want to support investment?” she wrote on social media.Bengaluru had the world’s third-slowest traffic in 2024, according to the TomTom Traffic Index—far worse than San Francisco or London.Manas Das, of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association, works with city authorities to resolve infrastructure woes for global tech companies.“Companies would like to get the basics right—and today those basics are getting compromised,” Das said.BS Prahallad, technical director of the government-backed Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited, set up to manage major projects, said an average resident needed 90–100 minutes to cover 16 kilometres.“Something has to be done, now or never,” he told AFP.“The next step is, we will decay.”Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar wrote last month on X that “10000+ potholes” had been identified, with half fixed so far.“Instead of tearing Bengaluru down, let’s build it up—together,” he said.“The world sees India through Bengaluru, and we owe it to our city to rise united!”Borrowing a page from London’s playbook, authorities have also decided to split the municipal corporation into five smaller bodies and set up an overarching Greater Bengaluru Authority. Shivakumar said this move would “transform the way Bengaluru is planned and governed.”‘Choking On Pollution’The southern city was not always an overrun metropolis. India’s software boom kicked off in the 1990s, with outsourcing companies striking gold. Waves of investment from Silicon Valley companies and start-ups helped quadruple the state’s software exports from 2014 to 2024 to $46 billion.Venture capitalist TV Mohandas Pai, former CFO of Infosys, said the city’s infrastructure was “possibly three to five years behind.”Rapid expansion clogged waterways, cut trees, and filled wetlands, straining the infrastructure, ecologist Harini Nagendra said.“We have flooding because water has no place to go, drought because the water is not infiltrating into the ground,” she said.“People are choking on pollution, choking on the concrete—and all the dust that comes with the construction, traffic, smog, heatwaves,” she added.Nearly half the city depends on boreholes that run dry in summer, while the rest rely on costly water trucked in—a problem set to worsen with climate change, according to the Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs research centre.Pai, 67, remains optimistic.“The future is going to be bright, but there is going to be pain,” he said.“We are suffering the pangs of growth because India knows how to handle poverty, not prosperity.”
