BENGALURU: The proposed North-South (Silk Board Junction to Hebbal) tunnel road project in Bengaluru is being executed through a completely data-driven approach and the project will proceed in adherence to all guidelines laid down by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), said BS Prahalad, Director (Technical), Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE), on Wednesday.
Speaking at the 11th edition of the Biennial Concrete Panorama & Deminar 2026 organised by the Indian Concrete Institute, Prahalad said 4,168 pages of documents are submitted before the Karnataka High Court and the detailed records include technical data and assessments relevant to the project. “The project is going forward completely on a data-driven basis,” he said.
He said the Adani Group is the lowest bidder for the tunnel works. The financial bids have been opened and are under evaluation by a committee of which he is a member.
Addressing concerns regarding the proposed alignment near Lalbagh Botanical Garden, particularly about potential damage to its plutonic rock formations, Prahalad said the issue has been adequately examined. “We have already conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment.
If anyone raises specific technical concerns about possible impacts, we are open-minded and ready to adopt appropriate mitigation measures,” he said. He added that he had visited Lalbagh three times to study the rock formations and that a detailed environmental management plan is in place. “We (officials) do not intend to harm the environment, we are citizens too,” he said, urging everyone to avoid generalised opposition without a technical basis.
Terming the tunnel initiative challenging, Prahalad said Bengaluru is adopting proven technology used in Mumbai, but with improvements.
While Mumbai’s tunnels are two-lane corridors, the city’s project proposes a three-lane configuration, with one dedicated lane for public transport buses to encourage mass transit and reduce dependence on private vehicles, he said.
Prahalad outlined B-SMILE’s broader infrastructure roadmap, which includes two major tunnel corridors – North-South and another one linking Nayandahalli to KR Puram (East-West) – with an interchange planned between them. Additionally, about 120 km of elevated corridors are proposed to radiate from the city centre to the outskirts over the next 24 months.
The projects will utilise Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete to enhance structural efficiency and speed of construction. Financing will be mobilised through concessionaires and municipal bonds. With nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in infrastructure investments under way, Prahalad said the city’s transformation must be rooted in sustainable engineering, innovation and expert collaboration to ensure long-term urban growth.