Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya got here down closely on Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar Monday, criticising the proposed Tunnel Highway challenge as an unscientific and elitist initiative that sidelines the wants of the frequent man.
Addressing a press convention, Surya stated the Congress-led state authorities was pushing by way of a conceit challenge that might serve solely the rich residents of neighbourhoods like Sadashivanagar and Koramangala, as an alternative of investing in sturdy public transport options that might profit nearly all of Bengalureans.
“When the DCM himself says even God can’t clear up Bengaluru’s visitors points, he’s solely exposing his personal failure to control. Bengaluru wants competent management, not divine intervention,” Surya remarked. “This tunnel street, deliberate from Hebbal to Silk Board, is a challenge meant for the wealthy, paid for by the remainder of us.”
The MP raised severe considerations over the credibility of the Tunnel Highway challenge’s feasibility research and Detailed Mission Report (DPR). He claimed that the Rs 9.5 crore DPR included content material allegedly copied from an earlier BMRCL DPR that price solely Rs 1.6 crore. “Shockingly, the report mentions visitors volumes in Malegaon and Nashik—cities nowhere near Bengaluru—suggesting it was copy-pasted from a totally unrelated research,” he stated.
Surya additionally flagged the background of the consultants concerned. He identified that one of many companies behind the feasibility research—a part of a three way partnership between Lion Consultants and Altinok—has been blacklisted in Madhya Pradesh over a Nationwide Highways Authority of India (NHAI) challenge. In the meantime, Rodic Consultants, who ready the DPR, have been reportedly linked to a Rs 500 crore rip-off in Jammu & Kashmir.
He additional alleged that the challenge was shifting forward with out obligatory clearance from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), violating Part 19 of the BMLTA Act.
Calling on the state authorities to shelve the tunnel street proposal, Surya stated public transport should be prioritised as an alternative. “Bengaluru is the heartbeat of recent India and deserves world-class infrastructure. Earlier than constructing a 100-km flyover community or an extravagant tunnel, the DCM ought to first full the stalled Ejipura flyover and the Hosakerehalli Junction challenge,” he stated.
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The Karnataka cupboard earlier in June had permitted the development of two main tunnel street corridors in Bengaluru beneath the Construct-Personal-Function-Switch (BOOT) mannequin, clearing the way in which for toll-based street utilization. Deliberate beneath the BOOT (Construct, Personal , Function and Switch) mannequin, the concession interval has been set at 30 years, throughout which the chosen non-public gamers will get better their funding by way of toll assortment.
Shivakumar additionally said that tender works are underway and international tenders shall be issued by way of newspaper notification within the subsequent two-three days.
The DPR of Bengaluru’s twin-tube tunnel street challenge between Hebbal and Silk Board Junction has estimated a toll of Rs 330 for a distance of 16.6 km. The challenge is estimated to price round Rs 18,000 crore.
The North – South Hall ranging from Hebbal Esteem Mall junction to Silk Board KSRP Junction goes to be developed as Underground Vehicular tunnel having three intermediate areas related through ramps for entry and exit into the Essential Tunnel. This alignment will join the Hebbal and Silk Board Junction and proposed three intermediate ramps at Mekhri circle, Racecourse and Lalbagh instantly, due to this fact lowering journey time from about 90 minutes to 45 minute and easing congestion on the route.