BENGALURU: A petition opposing the proposed Hebbal Short Tunnel project has crossed 20,000 signatures, with citizens calling on the state government to halt construction and conduct independent assessments of its environmental and safety impacts.
The petition, titled “Save Bengaluru’s Green-Blue Landscape,” was launched on Change.org on August 3 and seeks an immediate pause to the project.
The petitioners have demanded independent environmental, hydrological, traffic and safety assessments before construction proceeds, citing concerns over the potential impact on one of North Bengaluru’s remaining major green-blue landscapes. The petition calls for the government to assess the project’s possible impact before any irreversible changes are made to the area.
The 2.2-km tunnel is proposed between Hebbal Junction and the University of Agricultural Sciences staff quarters through the Veterinary College campus. The project has also drawn attention over the proposed felling of 1,128 trees, for which the Greater Bengaluru Authority has invited objections and suggestions from the public. Citizens have raised concerns over the tunnel’s possible impact on Hebbal Lake’s drainage, groundwater and stormwater flows, particularly in an area vulnerable to waterlogging.
The petitioners have sought publication of the detailed project report, traffic model, tree survey, groundwater and hydrological studies and safety assessments, along with an independent technical review.They said the demand was for a pause to allow the project’s environmental and traffic implications to be examined before irreversible changes are made to the area.
Puneet Sachdev, who started the petition, said, “Having grown up around this campus and spending evenings here, it pains me to see how we are losing this space and part of the Hebbal Lake.” He questioned whether the tunnel would address Hebbal’s traffic problems and said the government should focus on public transport, including the Metro.
