Tunnel road construction project will bring disaster to B'luru, claims BJP

Bengaluru, Oct 27 Slamming the Congress government in Karnataka over its ambitious tunnel road project in Bengaluru, the BJP on Monday said that reports suggest such a project could prove disastrous for the city, yet Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is "moving ahead with the project".

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said several organisations and environmentalists had already opposed the project. “I don’t think it serves public interest. People will have to pay a toll of Rs 300-400 to use it. If such projects can be done without burdening citizens, go ahead,” he said, urging the government to prioritise surface roads instead.

He said Bengaluru was being over-developed while neighbouring cities remained ignored. “Stop over-developing Bengaluru. Focus on Tumakuru, Kolar, and Chikkaballapur. Ensure people settle there. Look at Kalaburagi — it remains one of the most backward districts in terms of per capita income,” he said, also appealing to Industries Minister M.B. Patil to promote industries in Vijayapura.

The Karnataka government has approved a Rs 17,780-crore, 16-km tunnel road connecting the northern and southern parts of the city, set to be India’s longest once completed. Despite opposition from citizens and experts, the government plans to invite global tenders soon.

Narayanaswamy also reacted sharply to Priyank Kharge’s remarks on donations to the RSS. “There’s no point in answering Priyank Kharge’s questions because I don’t think he has the wisdom for meaningful debate,” he said, adding: “Let the ED or Income Tax investigate. Will Priyank Kharge respond if they summon him?”

On RSS registration, he clarified, “There is no legal requirement for the RSS to be registered,” and accused Kharge of creating distractions. “Unable to perform his responsibilities, he’s misleading people through such distractions,” he charged.

Blaming decades of Congress rule for the city’s problems, he said, “The BJP hasn’t ruled this state for 40–50 years; it’s the Congress that has ruled it for about 63 years.” He added that Bengaluru had expanded recklessly beyond what Kempegowda once envisioned and warned that cities like Kolar and Tumakuru would soon be engulfed if expansion continued unchecked.

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