BENGALURU: Intending to provide a long-term solution to the city’s infamous traffic congestion, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) budget presented on Thursday announced the construction of tunnel roads in two places with high vehicular movement and congestion.
An expert project consultant has already been given the mandate to submit the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for various road projects, including the Urban Tunnel Project at two places of heavy traffic congestion, said Shivanand H Kalakeri, Special Commissioner (Finance) while presenting the budget. A seed money of Rs 200 crore is provided in the budget for the same, he added.
Roads from Kanakapura Main Road to Bannerghatta Main Road and Hennur to Bagalur connecting Bengaluru airport will be developed and widened.
The narrow road of Padarayanapura area falling under the Chamarajpet Assembly constituency will be widened. For the above works, Rs 130 crore is provided in the budget. “Land will be acquired and developed on a TDR basis to build alternate routes to KIA from Bellary Road (Sadahalli Gate) via Beguru and another road from Satanur Meesaganahalli,” Kalakeri said.
Under the 15th Finance Commission’s “Clean Air” scheme for which Rs 135 crore has been provided in the BBMP budget for 2024-25, 45-km long pedestrian-friendly walkways will be built to achieve last-mile connectivity.
The official further said that as the infrastructure of the city has come under severe stress, the buffer area of the stormwater drains (rajakaluve) on the outskirts of the city has been acquired on a TDR basis, and road lanes for light vehicular traffic and cycle lanes on both sides of the rajakaluve will be constructed for 300km at Rs 600 crore over three years.
To prevent flooding, a proposal has been submitted to the Union Government for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund for the reconstruction of narrow rajakaluve and old bridges, which is expected to receive a grant of Rs 250 crore, he added. About 145 km long, white topping of roads will be undertaken for two years with the State Government grants of Rs 800 crore and internal resources of BBMP of Rs 900 crore. In the budget, Rs 300 crore is provided, he said.