Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar announced plans to alleviate Bengaluru's traffic congestion through projects including double-decker flyovers, tunnel roads, buffer roads, and elevated corridors. In response to a Legislative Council query from MLC Sudham Das, Shivakumar acknowledged Bengaluru's unplanned development, contrasting it with cities like New Delhi and highlighting the missed opportunity of the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR).
He noted the PRR's cost escalation from an estimated Rs 3,000-4,000 crore to Rs 26,000 crore and confirmed its execution via a HUDCO loan. He also lamented the public opposition to a previously proposed steel bridge on Bellary Road, emphasizing its current impact. Two tunnel roads, a 17 km East-West stretch and a 23 km North-South stretch, are now planned, with tenders for the initial phase forthcoming.
Double-decker flyovers will be built alongside new metro lines, funded equally by BBMP and BMRCL, at a cost of Rs 120 crore per kilometer with a Rs 9,000 crore grant allocated. The government also plans 300 km of 50-foot wide buffer roads along stormwater drains, costing Rs 3,000 crore, and will construct roads using Transferable Development Rights (TDRs), with a 7.8 km Hebbal-Hennur road already notified. Overall, 320 km of new roads are being built. A Rs 9,000 crore allocation supports white topping of 1,682 km of roads. Finally, a World Bank loan of Rs 2,000 crore is funding the construction of 850 km of stormwater drains, with 480 km already completed.