BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his 16th budget speech, announced a massive infrastructure push for Bengaluru, including tunnel roads, a 40.5 km double-decker flyover, lake rejuvenation, and improved drainage systems.
"The government has stood guarantee to BBMP for an amount of Rs. 19,000 crore for undertaking the North-South and the East-West corridors (tunnels) at a cost of Rs. 40,000 crore," Siddaramaiah stated.
To prioritise Bengaluru’s infrastructure, the annual grant has been increased from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore for this financial year. A new Special Purpose Vehicle will be set up to utilise these funds and implement key development projects. The budget allocated Rs 28,909 crore to Bengaluru across various departments.
A special scheme, the Chief Minister’s Infrastructure Development Programme, has been introduced with an investment of Rs 8,000 crore to ensure balanced development across Karnataka, focusing on minor irrigation, roads, and urban infrastructure in all legislative assembly constituencies.
To boost revenue, BBMP has implemented property tax reforms and expects to generate Rs 750 crore through the Corporation’s Advertisement Bye-laws 2025.
Acknowledging Bengaluru’s traffic congestion, which has gained international attention, the Chief Minister announced the construction of a 40.5 km double-decker flyover at a cost of Rs 8,916 crore, alongside the Namma Metro Phase-3 project.
Additionally, 300 km of new roads will be constructed at Rs 3,000 crore by utilising canal buffer zones. The arterial and sub-arterial road network spanning 460 km will be developed at Rs 660 crore, while flyovers and grade separators covering 120 km will also be built.
Emphasising the "Brand Bengaluru" initiative, Siddaramaiah announced a Rs 413 crore Comprehensive Health Programme to upgrade the city's healthcare infrastructure to global standards. BBMP and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will receive Rs 3,000 crore for constructing a systematic drainage network and sewage treatment plants to mitigate flooding.
"Under Brand Bengaluru – Green Bengaluru, work on 14 lakes is ongoing through BBMP at a cost of Rs 35 crore. The rejuvenation of Varthur and Bellandur lakes has been undertaken at Rs 234 crore by the Bengaluru Development Authority. Additionally, the functioning of 3,000 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) will be monitored using technology, with data made publicly available daily," he said.
A Flood Management System will be implemented in the BBMP area at Rs 2,000 crore, while the BWSSB will construct a wastewater treatment plant and sewage pumping system for Rs 1,070 crore.
Under the disaster mitigation programme, 41 lake-filling projects will be carried out in Bengaluru Rural District by the Minor Irrigation Department at a cost of Rs 250 crore. Stormwater drain reconstruction and lake rejuvenation in Bengaluru city will also be undertaken at Rs 239 crore.
The Peripheral Ring Road project has been renamed the Bengaluru Business Corridor, with a Rs 27,000 crore plan to construct a 73 km road, supported by HUDCO Bank. The land acquisition process has commenced with dedicated teams overseeing it.
Updating on the Namma Metro project, Siddaramaiah said, "The extension of the metro line to Devanahalli is being planned."
Additionally, 70 km of railway lines will be doubled on the Baiyappanahalli-Hosur and Yeshwantpur-Channasandra routes at an estimated cost of Rs 812 crore, with the state government contributing Rs 406 crore. These projects will be operational this year.
The Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, worth Rs 15,767 crore, will feature 148 km of rail network and 58 stations. Work on two corridors is in progress, while the tender process for the remaining two corridors will be completed soon to ensure timely implementation.
A state-of-the-art Bengaluru Signature Park will be developed in Devanahalli over 407 acres, with Rs 50 crore allocated for building a flyover to improve connectivity.
To promote electric vehicle manufacturing and usage, the government will establish an international-standard testing track and an EV cluster with shared infrastructure in Bengaluru at Rs 25 crore.
As part of preparations for the upcoming World Expo in Osaka, Japan, and to attract investment, the budget announced the establishment of a Japanese Industrial Park at the Tumakuru Industrial Node under the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor project.
To enhance revenue generation, 36 Sub-Registrar offices in Bengaluru, which handle 75 per cent of the state’s total registrations, will be modernised at a cost of Rs 76 crore.
A multiplex movie theatre complex will be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) on 2.5 acres owned by the Karnataka Film Academy in Nandini Layout.
The Bengaluru Majestic bus stand will be redeveloped under the "Project Majestic" scheme through a PPP model, transforming it into a modern transport hub with a commercial complex. A new satellite bus stand will also be built at KR Puram in Bengaluru’s east zone under a PPP model.