BENGALURU: A public vote conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Open Day 2026 Sustainable Transportation Lab found strong opposition to costly double-decker and tunnel roads, with 86.5% of the participants supporting affordable, accessible public transport over mega road projects.
The voting was organised at an exhibit of the lab in the Department of Civil Engineering during the annual open day held on March 7, led by Prof. Ashish Verma, Convenor, IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab (IST Lab).
A total of 310 visitors participated in the vote, after being briefed by students about the advantages and drawbacks of both approaches to urban mobility.
The results showed 268 respondents (86.5%) supporting affordable and accessible public transport, while only 18 participants (5.8%) favoured investment in double-decker or tunnel road infrastructure. Another 24 respondents (7.7%) remained neutral.
Prof Verma noted that projects focused primarily on private vehicles may also promote greater vehicle ownership, increase pollution, and place additional pressure on urban environments.